Episode 573 || March Madness 2026 with Jordan Jones
This week on From the Front Porch, it’s all about books and basketball! Annie is joined by her husband and friend, Jordan, to set different books head to head and debate their merits in this beloved yearly tradition.
If you love From the Front Porch, get your tickets to our live show on Saturday, March 28 at 8 p.m. in Thomasville, Georgia! Join us for an evening of book banter, laughter, and fun. Learn more and get your tickets here.
To purchase the books mentioned in this episode, stop by The Bookshelf in Thomasville, visit our website (search episode 573), or download and shop on The Bookshelf’s official app:
My Southern Kitchen by Ivy Odom vs. Theo of Golden by Allen Levi
Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry vs. It's a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan
Heartwood by Amity Gaige vs. Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
A Century of Healing: Centennial Reflections on the John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital by C. L. Bragg vs. Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green
The Correspondent by Virginia Evans vs. The Story She Left Behind by Patti Callahan Henry
Same by Hannah Rosenberg vs. A Rebellion of Care by David Gate
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes vs. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros
Ordinary Times by Annie B. Jones vs. The Complete Stories by Flannery O’Connor
A Woman’s Place is in the Paint T-Shirt
From the Front Porch Live Tickets - Saturday, March 28
From the Front Porch is a weekly podcast production of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in South Georgia. You can follow The Bookshelf’s daily happenings on Instagram, Tiktok, and Facebook, and all the books from today’s episode can be purchased online through our store website, www.bookshelfthomasville.com.
A full transcript of today’s episode can be found below.
Special thanks to Dylan and his team at Studio D Podcast Production for sound and editing and for our theme music, which sets the perfect warm and friendly tone for our Thursday conversations.
If you liked what you heard in today’s episode, tell us by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts. You can also support us on Patreon, where you can access bonus content, monthly live Porch Visits with Annie, our monthly live Patreon Book Club with Bookshelf staffers, Conquer a Classic episodes with Hunter, and more. Just go to patreon.com/fromthefrontporch.
We’re so grateful for you, and we look forward to meeting back here next week.
Our Executive Producers are...Ashley Ferrell, Beth, Cammy Tidwell, Gene Queens, Jammie Treadwell, Joseph Shorter IV, Kimberly, Linda Lee Drozt, Nicole Marsee, Stephanie Dean, and Wendi Jenkins.
Transcript:
Annie Jones [00:00:01] Welcome to From the Front Porch, a conversational podcast about books, small business and life in the South.
“There's an old saying about stories and how there are always three versions of them. Yours, mine, and the truth.” -Emily Henry, Great Big Beautiful Life.
I'm Annie Jones, owner of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in beautiful downtown Thomasville, Georgia, and this week, it's time for March Madness. Do you love listening to From the Front Porch every week? Spread the word by leaving a review on Apple podcasts. All you have to do is open up the podcast app on your phone, look for From the Front Porch, scroll down until you see Write a Review, and then tell us what you think. Here's a recent review.
So fun. Annie makes listening to her fun. She's just bright and cheerful. Even if you haven't read what she's discussing, you love that she loved it.
Thank you so much to all of the reviewers who've left kind words and thoughtful reviews for our show. We're so grateful anytime you share From the Front Porch with your friends. Thanks for spreading the word about our podcast and our bookstore too. Now, back to the show. For years, my husband Jordan has come on the podcast every March as part of our March Madness tradition. While the NCAA college basketball tournament unfolds, we debate The Bookshelf's top 16 best sellers of the previous year until Jordan selects one as the champion, often based solely on vibes. If this sounds a little chaotic, that's because it is. Hi, Jordan.
Jordan Jones [00:01:58] Hi.
Annie Jones [00:01:59] Welcome back.
Jordan Jones [00:02:00] I'm glad to be back. Solely based on vibes? I don't know. There's a lot that goes on in this microchip processor of mine, and it's not just vibes.
Annie Jones [00:02:09] I am pretty sure that right before we came on this show, you said, now this is the one where you just tell me what all the books are about, right? Like I don't need to look anything up.
Jordan Jones [00:02:18] Yeah, but I process very quickly and so when you tell me then that's when it feeds it into the microprocessor and then we see what comes out
Annie Jones [00:02:25] It really puts a lot of pressure on me, the bookseller, to remember all the details about these 16 bestsellers, because you did absolutely nothing.
Jordan Jones [00:02:34] Well, that's what you signed up for though when you own your own bookstore. You have to handsell them to me.
Annie Jones [00:02:39] So if you're a new From the Front Porch listener, we do this every year. Olivia has narrowed the playing field for us. She is the selection committee. She has selected the top 16. I mean, she used data. She didn't just off the top of her head. These are our 16 bestsellers, but she seeded them. So she put the seeds together that she thought made the most sense. So you, the listener, can find an electronic version of the bracket on Instagram. You can screenshot it, fill it out, then tag us at @Bookshelftville so we can see how your picks differ from Jordan's because inevitably they will. We will also have an in-store display with this year's finalists. And today we are launching our 2026 March Madness T-shirt design by our friend Lindsay at Pin and Paint. It's a little weird because her company name is Pin and paint. And this year, inspired by Jennifer, a Patreon supporter, we did a March Menace t-shirt where the back design says a woman's place is in the paint. This is an homage to my favorite t-shirt I had as a kid that I have tried to find and cannot find anywhere. It was sold at the Lady Foot Locker in, oh, I don't know, 1998. And so now we have created our own, thanks to Lindsay at Pen and Paint. It is really cute. And there is an essay in Ordinary Time titled the same thing.
Jordan Jones [00:04:04] I don't know if you remember this, but I bought you a shirt a few years ago that says a woman's place is in the painting. Okay, you remember that.
Annie Jones [00:04:09] I remember that. But it wasn't...
Jordan Jones [00:04:11] It's not the same thing.
Annie Jones [00:04:11] It's not the same things. It's not as cute as the... Because the original, I had two WNBA t-shirts when I was like 11-- well, no, third, fourth, fifth grade, somewhere around there. I had 2 shirts. One was a WNB basketball on the front and it felt like a basketball. Do you know what I mean? Like it had the bumpy kind of texture.
Jordan Jones [00:04:29] That was big in the 90s- was texture.
Annie Jones [00:04:31] Yeah, it was really cool. And then the second shirt I had said a woman's place is in the paint. And you graciously tried to find me that shirt. It no longer exists. You found a shirt that said that same thing. Was it cute? No, but did I keep it? Yes. But Lindsay really has done a great job.
Jordan Jones [00:04:54] Okay, she did the cute version.
Annie Jones [00:04:56] Yeah, she did the she did the cute version and you own one now.
Jordan Jones [00:04:59] I do. It is cute. It's nothing if not cute.
Annie Jones [00:05:01] So I can't wait to take our picture in it. I only wish we had a baby sized one so Isaac could participate. Anyway, the t-shirts are available online (there's a link in the show notes) and in store. They're $35 each. And we have stickers that come in similar designs as well. So if you are a fellow book basketball person and you love March Madness every year like we do, that swag is available.
Jordan Jones [00:05:23] What does that Venn diagram look like? So circle of book lover and then circle of I understand March's Madness, how big is the overlap there?
Annie Jones [00:05:33] We're trying to make it bigger. It's my life's mission.
Jordan Jones [00:05:36] Got it. That's fair. That's what we do here. That's exactly what we're doing here.
Annie Jones [00:05:38] That's exactly what we do here.
Jordan Jones [00:05:40] Not all heroes wear a cape.
Annie Jones [00:05:43] We're just trying to embrace the multitudes we all contain.
Jordan Jones [00:05:45] Yes.
Annie Jones [00:05:46] Okay, so Olivia has paired these titles. I am going to do my best to describe to you these books. I will be honest, I came into this episode thinking Jordan will have researched these and you came into thinking Annie will have researched these. So this will be fun. Our best sellers picked these sixteen. Olivia seeded them and now we get to debate them. And so, are you ready Jordan Jones?
Jordan Jones [00:06:11] I'm ready to go. And this is how a lot of people approach March Madness brackets. I suspect that a lot you have been asked recently by some third cousin twice removed, hey, can you join my bracket league? It's easy, don't worry, just fill out the teams. And you might just go on there and write the name that sounds the best.
Annie Jones [00:06:27] So we have our family bracket that you kind of run, family, friends bracket, but did you know that I am doing one with my fantasy football league?
Jordan Jones [00:06:37] I did not. That's great.
Annie Jones [00:06:39] Which I do think will be fun. Now, we'll see how many women participates because obviously March Madness is very different from fantasy football. It's way less involved. But I was trying to explain it to my friend this week where I was like, it's so easy. All you do is pick teams and then plop yourself in front of the TV, especially-- look, we planned this episode. This episode drops Thursday, which is the day I think at noon the games start. So Thursday and Friday. Actually, this whole weekend, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, are the best March Madness days to me. It's when we have multiple DVs going. We used to go with friends to some sports bars. Maybe we'll take Isaac to a sports bar.
Jordan Jones [00:07:17] We're out of friends, but we have our own child now, so.
Annie Jones [00:07:22] No, we still have friends. We still have friend. If you're listening to this and you're our friend, let us know if you want to go watch some basketball games. But it's like a family tradition and it's interesting to try to explain it to some friends to see if they also want to participate. So I have started a League of Her Own bracket for our fantasy football league.
Jordan Jones [00:07:42] Do you know how many years you and I have gone head to head? Do you which year this is for us?
Annie Jones [00:07:47] Well, we started in 2005.
Jordan Jones [00:07:51] Correct. Very good.
Annie Jones [00:07:52] And this is 2026, so is that 21?
Jordan Jones [00:07:57] This is the 22nd.
Annie Jones [00:07:58] Okay 22 years.
Jordan Jones [00:08:01] We've done 21, this is the 22nd.
Annie Jones [00:08:03] Okay, we've done 21 together. Well, and you're welcome, because as I have told on this podcast, but I will say it again very briefly, Jordan Jones never filled out a March Madness bracket.
Jordan Jones [00:08:12] No, I was more of a purist before I met Annie. I remember being in my bed late at night cheering for Creighton. Because I would just cheer for the teams I liked.
Annie Jones [00:08:22] You can still do that. You sound like my brother. You can still do that.
Jordan Jones [00:08:26] But then when Annie was like, no, you can compete. I was like okay, let's say no fruit and vegetables for a day or two days if you lose and then here we are.
Annie Jones [00:08:37] Yeah, fast forward 21 years.
Jordan Jones [00:08:39] We're still doing this.
Annie Jones [00:08:39] 22 years. And so we compete as a couple. We compete with our family/friends that Jordan has created a group. Now I will compete with my fantasy football league. And talk about the overlap between book lovers and March Madness lovers. We fill out brackets as a Bookshelf staff every year. I do not force it. You do not have to participate if you do not want to. There is no pressure. We don't force fun at The Bookshelf. But What I find fascinating is I think, generally, there's 100% participation. Watch this be the year that that's not true. But generally speaking, everybody participates. Keila always has the most creative way to fill out her bracket. Olivia is pretty stuck on famous alumni. So she bases hers on famous alumnae. But you know who has won the last two or three years? Do you remember this?
Jordan Jones [00:09:26] Carolyn?
Annie Jones [00:09:26] Yeah.
Jordan Jones [00:09:26] Is that right?
Annie Jones [00:09:27] Yes.
Jordan Jones [00:09:27] That doesn't surprise me. Olivia, I think, could do better. She has a stumbling block in her head. The stumbling block is the seeding.
Annie Jones [00:09:35] I think she's over that.
Jordan Jones [00:09:37] Is she over that?
Annie Jones [00:09:38] Well, I mean, I thinks so.
Jordan Jones [00:09:39] Olivia, please be over that, and then we can...
Annie Jones [00:09:42] You know what else I think is funny? We'll see. But I'm pretty sure this is the only episode that Bookshelf staff listen to.
Jordan Jones [00:09:49] I'm surprised you admitted that.
Annie Jones [00:09:51] I don't think they-- look, I don't blame them. I don't listen to it either. But I'm pretty sure this is the one episode that they listen to. Because Olivia wants to know how this bracket turns out. They're invested. But anyway, so if you come visit The Bookshelf from now through the end of the month, you will see all of our brackets taped to the side of our chocolate counter. And it is really fun. I go in and I highlight the winners. Nancy, funnily enough, probably--
Jordan Jones [00:10:18] Is the cheater.
Annie Jones [00:10:18] No. Actually, not at this. Nancy and I are probably the people who actually watch the most games. I don't think Erin watches games.
Jordan Jones [00:10:26] UF is good this year, so Nancy's going to be extra nauseous.
Annie Jones [00:10:29] Well, and she's going to have a stumbling block. Talk about stumbling blocks. When you have a team in the mix, it sets you up. My friend Jennifer is a huge fan because her son goes to Michigan, so she's a huge Michigan fan and so she will have a stumbling block.
Jordan Jones [00:10:41] It's the heart versus the head. I've seen this play out multiple times. David Swain, one time picked UCLA.
Annie Jones [00:10:47] Oh, double naming it.
Jordan Jones [00:10:48] Yeah, David Swaine. He does not want to become known. One time picked UCLA to go all the way and that caused him to lose to me. And then I think he had to wear a milk carton or something on his head because of that.
Annie Jones [00:11:01] Great, I'm sure he'll listen to this episode. Okay, so without further ado, let's jump into the bracket. I'm going to first name the 16 books. I will be interested to see if you are familiar with any of them. I think you will be familiar with at least one.
Jordan Jones [00:11:13] Are these from this century?
Annie Jones [00:11:15] They are from 2025, our best sellers. I know, watch out. Okay. My Southern Kitchen, Theo of Golden, Great Big Beautiful Life, which I quoted at the top of the episode.
Jordan Jones [00:11:26] I've seen that book around here.
Annie Jones [00:11:27] Great Big, Beautiful Life.
Jordan Jones [00:11:27] Oh, maybe it was from the quote.
Annie Jones [00:11:29] It was from a quote, okay good. We're off to a great start. It's a love story.
Jordan Jones [00:11:34] Baby, say yes.
Annie Jones [00:11:36] No.
Jordan Jones [00:11:37] Taylor Swift.
Annie Jones [00:11:37] No, it's not a Taylor Swift book. Heartwood, Wild Dark Shore, A Century of Healing.
Jordan Jones [00:11:44] Wait, is that the one about the Thomasville hospital?
Annie Jones [00:11:46] It is indeed.
Jordan Jones [00:11:48] I know that book. I've seen it. It's huge. I carried those boxes around. Very heavy.
Annie Jones [00:11:53] They're legitimately. We'll talk about it. Everything is Tuberculosis.
Jordan Jones [00:11:56] Okay, John Green.
Annie Jones [00:11:58] The Correspondent.
Jordan Jones [00:11:59] That's the one you told me about. No, I'm thinking about a different one.
Annie Jones [00:12:03] No, I think it could be, but I don't know. I talked to you about a lot of books. The Story She Left Behind, Same, Rebellion of Care, Don Quixote.
Jordan Jones [00:12:14] Okay, I recognize that one.
Annie Jones [00:12:16] Onyx Storm.
Jordan Jones [00:12:17] Oh, that one has black pages, or gold pages, depending, right?
Annie Jones [00:12:20] Yes, I think the deluxe edition. And Olivia did designate Onyx Storm the deluxe edition.
Jordan Jones [00:12:26] Yeah.
Annie Jones [00:12:27] Ordinary Time.
Jordan Jones [00:12:27] I've heard about that one.
Annie Jones [00:12:28] The Complete Stories.
Jordan Jones [00:12:30] Of Flannery O'Connor?
Annie Jones [00:12:31] Yes.
Jordan Jones [00:12:32] Oh no! Why did you pair those?
Annie Jones [00:12:33] I didn't pair them. It was Olivia.
Jordan Jones [00:12:36] Olivia, I'm going to...
Annie Jones [00:12:38] Olivia did that. Olivia said, "So I should remove ordinary time, right?" And I said, don't you dare. I said make Jordan Jones...
Jordan Jones [00:12:46] Olivia! this is not right.
Annie Jones [00:12:49] We're going to see if unbiased Jordan Jones has a stumbling block in the form of his wife's book.
Jordan Jones [00:12:56] So Ordinary Time versus Complete Stories, these are...
Annie Jones [00:13:00] Well, I'm going to go out in the first round.
Jordan Jones [00:13:01] Two women that were unlikely to marry.
Annie Jones [00:13:05] Wow.
Jordan Jones [00:13:06] But I'm so glad that one of them did.
Annie Jones [00:13:08] Okay, so let's start with My Southern Kitchen, which is a cookbook by Ivy Odom. Did you come to this Bookshelf event?
Jordan Jones [00:13:18] I think I did.
Annie Jones [00:13:19] I think you did too.
Jordan Jones [00:13:20] I think I popped in.
Annie Jones [00:13:22] Probably to put up chairs.
Jordan Jones [00:13:23] That's probably what [inaudible].
Annie Jones [00:13:24] So Ivy Odom is, I want to say, a features editor or a food editor at Southern Living Magazine. So she is from Moultrie, Georgia, which is right near Thomasville, but lives in Birmingham. And she released a cookbook that really is beautiful. She did an event at our store in Thomasville. It was very well attended. She was lovely. So this is her book called My Southern Kitchen. And Olivia has pitted it against Theo of Golden. Let me tell you a little bit about Theo of Golden. It's having a moment. So I don't know what team you would want to compare it to, but to me, it's one of those books that's peaking at the right time. So Theo of Golden was a self-published title by Alan Levi, I believe in Augusta, Georgia. So Central South Georgia writer. This is his book about a small town named Golden. This is a Susie book. Do you know what I mean when I say that? Like very redemptive. It is beloved like as a feel-good Southern story, but self-published. We sold lots of copies, and then Simon and Schuster picked it up.
Jordan Jones [00:14:36] How often does that happen?
Annie Jones [00:14:38] I mean, not often to me, especially in the general fiction world. I think sometimes it happens in romance, like if a self-published book takes off on TikTok or something, but this they bought the rights. I'd be so curious for how much, I bet I could find it somewhere, but anyway, and they now publish it through Simon& Schuster. So it is a paperback original, we are still selling lots of copies in the store. To me, it was already a Bookshelf bestseller, but now it's become a word of mouth phenomenon where I want to say the popularity has extended far beyond the South. I feel like I have podcast listeners who talk a lot about this book, who share a lot about this book. And generally speaking, the response is quite positive because again it is a redemptive, feel good story, kind of like a hallmark type story. Alan Levi, if you're listening, we're big fans and we would love for you to come to The Bookshelf. We really are hoping to get him to the Bookshelf sometime within the next year or two, we'll see. But that is my Southern Kitchen versus Theo of Golden. I am sure Olivia pitted these against each other because they are Southern writers with local connections, local-ish connections. You have not read or heard of either of these to my knowledge, have you?
Jordan Jones [00:15:58] No, but I do think I came in at the tail end of that event and helped put up chairs for My Southern Kitchen. So here's the thing. As much as I have a soft spot in my heart for Moultrie, Georgia.
Annie Jones [00:16:10] You do?
Jordan Jones [00:16:11] Because Seth Trimble.
Annie Jones [00:16:12] Oh, wow. You're again double naming. People might not want that.
Jordan Jones [00:16:17] Law school buddy. He would love it. He and I got each other through law school. He was from Moultrie.
Annie Jones [00:16:25] I didn't remember that about him.
Jordan Jones [00:16:26] He was from Moutrie. And the Christmas lights that they string up from the courthouse, they go all the way down.
Annie Jones [00:16:31] I mean, they are good.
Jordan Jones [00:16:33] In spite of all that, I'm going to go with Theo of Golden because it often is teams like Virginia Commonwealth or Yale or St. Louis who peak at the right time. They kind of come out of nowhere, but maybe they won a few games coming up to the tournament that tend to keep going. And so, I always say take a look at teams that come into the tournament hot. Basically the opposite of Auburn this year coming into the tournament hot. So I'm going to go with Theo Golden for that reason
Annie Jones [00:17:12] I think that is the right call, especially if we're really doing this March Madness style. Because like I said, I think Theo of Golden is peeking at the right moment. Like if this had been a year ago, I would have, of course, picked the Southern Living Editor's book. But the fact that his book was self-published and then was picked up by a major publisher is huge. And it's really having its moment. It's time to shine.
Jordan Jones [00:17:36] And it feels like it's kind of the darling, like people have picked up on it. It's kind like when Sister Jean's team got hot. And they started making a run and then everyone kind of adopted them. Like we loved them.
Annie Jones [00:17:51] There's always a team like that in the tournament. It'll be interesting to see what this year's is. Okay, next up we've got two romance novels. So romance is a growing genre. Well, it's always been a popular genre, but at The Bookshelf I feel like it's really coming to its own in the last maybe five years. So Great Big Beautiful Life is by Emily Henry. You might recognize Emily Henry, she wrote Beach Read, Book Lovers, People We Meet on Vacation. So she's fairly prolific, especially post-pandemic. I think Beach Read came out during 2020. And then pretty much every year since then, she's had a book come out. Great Big Beautiful Life released the same day as Ordinary Time. So always kind of a springtime release. What was different about this is it wasn't...
Jordan Jones [00:18:34] That's kind of a power move on her part.
Annie Jones [00:18:38] On her part? I think it might've been a foolish thing on my part. So, Great Big Beautiful Life, the kind of difference is that this was Emily Henry's maybe foray into a little bit less romance. It's still definitely a romance plotline, but it also had maybe a more traditionally fiction plotline where the two love interests are vying to write the biography of this elderly heiress. And so they are almost competing to tell her story. And so part of the book is the heiress' story. And so you, the reader, are getting both the romantic plot line of the two competitors, and then you're also getting the plot line of this aging heiresses who's kind of reclusive. And it is set on a Georgia, like almost like a Tybee Island stand-in. I listened to this audio book. You will know that I listened to this audiobook because Great Big Beautiful Life and all of Emily Henry's books, I think, are narrated by Julia Whelan. Julia Whelan, you would immediately know her voice. I frequently hear you say, oh it's that lady again.
Jordan Jones [00:19:50] Oh, yeah.
Annie Jones [00:19:51] Oh, it's that woman again. And this book, again, was set in Georgia. Now the two main characters are not necessarily from Georgia, but one of them, I think, does have Georgia ties. And there is a restaurant in this book. There is a restaurant in this book, and the name of the restaurant is something about a croissant. And the entire audiobook, Julia Whelan says croissant, and it drove me batty.
Jordan Jones [00:20:16] I remember that.
Annie Jones [00:20:16] And I knew you'd remember that detail. That has nothing to do with the book. It's not Emily Henry's fault. But it was like, listen, I understand how croissant is supposed to be pronounced, but if this is a restaurant set on a Tybee Island stand-in, let me assure you it's not croissant.
Jordan Jones [00:20:31] It's like saying Cairo, Georgia.
Annie Jones [00:20:33] Right. You're obviously not from here.
Jordan Jones [00:20:36] You would say that.
Annie Jones [00:20:37] Yes.
Jordan Jones [00:20:37] Well, you wouldn't. But you might say it if you were an Englishman visiting.
Annie Jones [00:20:41] There you go.
Jordan Jones [00:20:42] But here it's Cairo.
Annie Jones [00:20:43] That's right, don't forget it. Okay, so that's Great Big Beautiful Life. It's a love story. This was her new book last year by Annabel Monaghan. So you know Annabel, she has visited The Bookshelf. In fact, she's coming again for Reader Retreat.
Jordan Jones [00:20:58] She came for Reader Retreat before.
Annie Jones [00:20:59] Yes, she is coming again and we love her. Nora Goes Off Script was her first rom-com. And each year she's become more and more popular. I like to think that I was an early Annabelle Monaghan adopter. This was a wonderful book. It's called, It's a Love Story. It to me gave Nora Goes Off script a run for its money in terms of my favorite, although she's got a new book coming out this year called Dolly All the Time, which I love. And so It's a Love Story, one of the things that I really liked about this book was it's got this very poignant storyline about an animal, which normally I don't want to say I could not care less about, but that doesn't always tug at my heartstrings. But in this book, it was handled so well. I read a lot of romances, or I have lately, I've read a lot of rom-coms, and to me, they're so bad because I really like Annabell Monaghan. Her characters are rich, they are thoughtful, the conflict is often real or feels realistic. It does not feel like miscommunication or communication gone awry. So, Great Big Beautiful Life, which maybe skews beyond the romance genre, and then It's a Love Story, which is more a traditional romance novel.
Jordan Jones [00:22:21] Yeah, I'm going to go with It's a Love Story. Here's why. I mean, several reasons, but the main one is you like to fancy yourself as an early adopter, okay? If I have heard the story that you went to a Rascal Flatts concert and they threw a water bottle out there and you grabbed it, if I've heard that once, I've heard it.
Annie Jones [00:22:42] It wasn't a water bottle, it was a guitar pick.
Jordan Jones [00:22:44] It was a guitar pick. I think it's evolved. I think it was a water bottle and now it's a guitar pick.
Annie Jones [00:22:49] It's a guitar pick.
Jordan Jones [00:22:51] But you talk about how in 1982 or whenever it was before that, anyone knew who they were.
Annie Jones [00:22:57] 1982 I wasn't even born.
Jordan Jones [00:22:59] You went to that concert and Annabelle Monaghan, I can say I was actually there. You were an early adopter.
Annie Jones [00:23:05] Thank you.
Jordan Jones [00:23:06] I saw her come here and do her presentation out on the porch of...
Annie Jones [00:23:13] The Paxton?
Jordan Jones [00:23:14] The Paxton. I can't think of it. But yeah, so I think It's a Love Story is the correct thing here. And I think actually this is one of those matchups that on paper is pretty even. But I think when they get out on the court, it's double-digit win. Because on that day It's a Love Story just plays better.
Annie Jones [00:23:34] Okay, I think Annabelle Monaghan actually is a sports fan, if I remember correctly. I think she will be very pleased to have beaten Emily Henry. Emily Henry is kind of like if you think about almost like the Duke stand in.
Jordan Jones [00:23:52] This is Duke vs. Wichita State.
Annie Jones [00:23:54] Maybe so. Like she is the romance writer, especially right now. I mean, romance readers might disagree with me there, but as a bookseller, she's like a mainstream romance author who we sell a lot of copies. But I think Annabelle Monaghan, I wonder if Dolly All the Time is going to take off even more than It's a Love Story did. So I think it's another case of maybe peeking at the right moment.
Jordan Jones [00:24:18] She's building her program. She might not be Kentucky or Duke, but she's building her VCU or Wichita State into something that is getting more and more respect.
Annie Jones [00:24:30] Okay, that makes sense to me. Okay, next up, maybe the atmospheric thriller category. So we've got Heartwood by Amity Gage versus Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte, I believe it's McDon-- no, I don't know. Heartwood versus Wild Dark Shore. So Heartwood is set on the Appalachian, yes, the northern part of the Appalachian Trail. A woman goes missing, there is a detective, though as Olivia's pet peeve in thrillers is a detectives who isn't good at their job. Actually, I think Olivia's pet peeve in general is people who don't do their jobs.
Jordan Jones [00:25:10] I've seen how Olivia looks at herself after making the most minor of mistakes and she is hard on... She does not like people to be bad at their jobs.
Annie Jones [00:25:21] So she's hard on detectives who aren't good at their jobs. But I really loved Heartwood. I thought it was excellent, very well written. You've got a couple of different characters, but you do have a detective who's trying to solve this woman who went missing on the Appalachian Trail. That is Heartwood. The other book is Wild Dark Shore. This one I think Olivia and I read Heartwood. Wild Dark shore, Erin, Olivia and I all read it. Like it was a book that had a lot of overlap on staff. It had something for everyone. So it had certainly a thriller survivalist plotline. And then there was also maybe a slight romantic plotline basically this man and his children live-- I was going to say at the edge of the world. I want to say it's Antarctica. It's in the Antarctic. That makes it in Antarctica. The Arctic versus Antarctica. I think it's in Antarctica. And have you heard of this? There's this seed... Do you know what I'm going to say?
Jordan Jones [00:26:22] I have no idea what you're about to say.
Annie Jones [00:26:24] Okay, wait, I can't remember. When seeds are protected by scientists and taken to the Arctic or Antarctica. Oh my gosh, why do I keep messing that up? They're taken to Antarctica to protect them for when the world ends.
Jordan Jones [00:26:38] Oh, yeah.
Annie Jones [00:26:39] What is that called? That's real.
Jordan Jones [00:26:41] I see. I don't know what it's called.
Annie Jones [00:26:43] Okay, well anyway, so this man and his children are down on site kind of with these other scientists protecting these seeds for future life. And then a woman shipwrecks on the shore. And so you don't know who is the reliable voice. Is it the man and his children?
Jordan Jones [00:27:05] I love that kind of stuff.
Annie Jones [00:27:06] Actually, I think you would really like this book because again there's like a survivalist element. There's an adventure story, these people trying to survive in the wilds of Antarctica. And then there's also maybe a slight romantic storyline. I loved this book. It's great in audiobook format and physical format. Yeah, and I guess Heartwood also had the survivalist element. So I can see why Olivia pitted these against each other. So that's Heartwood versus Wild Dark Shore.
Jordan Jones [00:27:33] Yeah, well, I love the name Amity Gage.
Annie Jones [00:27:35] That is a great name.
Jordan Jones [00:27:37] Amity was-- you may remember this from the book Divergent. Amity is one of the houses.
Annie Jones [00:27:43] I just remember Jaws. Amity.
Jordan Jones [00:27:45] Oh, Amity, right. There's a lot of different things. And The Amityville Horror. This is a good thing. I'm going to pick one of these, but for those of you who actually listen to this podcast each year, you might recall the Tipsy Coachman Doctrine. Now, I'm not going to go back into that. But Annie and I had a conversation about what that is I think on last year's. So the whole point is that I'm going to tell you what the answer is, and you're going to think about it and you going to say, that's the right answer, but I did not see you getting there that way. But it's okay, because I got there a different way. Reach the correct result. The correct result here is Heartwood.
Annie Jones [00:28:23] Oh, surprised. Very surprised.
Jordan Jones [00:28:25] Now, the reason I'm going to go with Hartwood, we were talking about how we're trying to broaden the Venn diagram. Well, I'm about to throw in another circle that's going to become a Venn trigram. There's probably no one on here who's listening in this third circle unless your brother listens to your podcast.
Annie Jones [00:28:42] He doesn't.
Jordan Jones [00:28:43] I have a magic the gathering card called Heartwood Storyteller and it's a tree. It's a tree folk character and it is in my tree folk deck with all my into because I only do Lord of the Rings decks. And it's this beautiful card that says whenever your opponent casts an instant or sorcery spell you draw a card. It's a beautiful, beautiful tree and he tells stories and his name is Heartwood Storytellers and so Heartwood is the correct answer.
Annie Jones [00:29:10] Wow, I could not have predicted that. I really thought you were going to choose Wild Dark Shore.
Jordan Jones [00:29:16] I might read Wild Dark Shore. Because that does sound like a book I would like.
Annie Jones [00:29:19] I do think you would like it, and it's great in audiobook format. But I am kind of surprised. And I think that could be considered an upset; although, I want to say Heartwood was a Jenna Bush Hager Book Club pick.
Jordan Jones [00:29:33] Very interesting.
Annie Jones [00:29:35] I think it was somebody's book club pick.
Jordan Jones [00:29:36] Could that be like an 11 beating a 6.
Annie Jones [00:29:40] Yeah.
Jordan Jones [00:29:40] And you say it's an upset but like a lot of people chose it.
Annie Jones [00:29:44] Yes, and I think Heartwood is the more-- I always kind of hesitate to say this, but I think it's the more accessible, while Dark Shore might be considered slightly more literary, more nature writing. Anyway, all right, Heartwood, interesting.
Jordan Jones [00:29:58] But I think I'm going to read Wild Dark Shore.
Annie Jones [00:30:00] Yeah, I think you'd like it.
Jordan Jones [00:30:00] I think you might have convinced me of that.
Annie Jones [00:30:02] Did you ever read that one that Olivia wanted you to read? Did you finish that one?
Jordan Jones [00:30:07] The Book Eaters, which won the tournament a few years ago, I never finished that book.
Annie Jones [00:30:13] Shocking.
Jordan Jones [00:30:16] I started it and I was like this isn't as good as it sounded.
Annie Jones [00:30:21] That's because that team probably shouldn't have won that year.
Jordan Jones [00:30:24] The best team doesn't always win. And look kids, this is a lesson in life. The race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong. Wealth come to the intelligent, but time and chance happen to them all.
Annie Jones [00:30:40] Wow, beautiful. Okay. This will be very interesting. Olivia told me there was one pairing that she really got a kick out of. And I don't know if it was this one or I have another guess, but this is A Century of Healing, which is a history of Archbold Hospital.
Jordan Jones [00:30:52] This is one of the books that I've seen.
Annie Jones [00:30:54] That is the Thomasville Hospital. It is a giant. How do you pronounce the word behemoth? It's a behemoth of a book.
Jordan Jones [00:31:03] Great word.
Annie Jones [00:31:04] I mean, it is huge. How much do you think this book weighs?
Jordan Jones [00:31:07] I don't know, but basically imagine a cardboard box full of books and like two of those books fit in one box. I mean, I'm exaggerating.
Annie Jones [00:31:15] Okay, and this book came out must have been last spring because I was very pregnant and so was Olivia.
Jordan Jones [00:31:20] And so was this book.
Annie Jones [00:31:21] And I made the mistake of lifting two or three of these. And I honestly thought-- it was the only time in my pregnancy, and that includes going on a book tour, traveling the back roads of Mississippi. It's the only where I thought, oh no, that was a mistake. That was a danger. I think I lifted two or of these.
Jordan Jones [00:31:41] A Century of Healing. And the book is the opposite.
Annie Jones [00:31:45] But it is a huge coffee table type book, but it would be kind of silly looking on your coffee table. No offense if you're a Thomasville listener who has this on your coffee table. But its so big and it's a history of our local hospital. And it is a best seller. It has been a best seller at The Bookshelf because let me tell you something, a former Bookshelf staffer said this, and it is absolutely true, Thomasville likes nothing more than Thomasville.
Jordan Jones [00:32:12] True.
Annie Jones [00:32:12] Thomasville loves itself so much. And it loves all the publications about itself.
Jordan Jones [00:32:15] And it'll support them.
Annie Jones [00:32:18] It will support them, and so this...
Jordan Jones [00:32:20] And we appreciate it.
Annie Jones [00:32:20] We do. Listen, no shade. Absolutely no shade. We're grateful for it. So, that's the first book. And then the second one she has pitted it against is Everything is Tuberculosis. This is the John Green book. You and I both like John Green, but did you read this?
Jordan Jones [00:32:33] No, the last John Green book I read was the Anthropo...
Annie Jones [00:32:38] Anthropocene Reviewed.
Jordan Jones [00:32:40] Anthropocene Reviewed. That is one of my favorite books of the last several years.
Annie Jones [00:32:46] I love this one. I think you would too. John Green has been overseas and he has done a lot of research. It was surprising to me that this was kind of the pivot after Anthropocene Reviewed. It'll be interesting to see what he does next. But this is a pretty short little book about the history of tuberculosis. It's actually really timely as we watch maybe some institutions no longer exist that maybe helped tuberculosis be a disease that we almost had eradicated or had come close to eradicating. Anyway, this is a fantastic book because he weaves in, as he does so well, true history and scientific fact, but then he also kind of brings in some personal elements. So that is Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green.
Jordan Jones [00:33:32] Well, I think this is a great matchup because we have doctors versus tuberculosis. I must say, there is no universe in which this John Green book doesn't win. The only universe that there is, is if you're a seventh generation Thomasvillian with literal roses for glasses, because this is the rose city, and you can't help but think that somehow Archbold Hospital could defeat John Green. But it ain't happening. There might be three people in the stands that travel for this 16 versus one, but Everything is Tuberculosis is going to win. Now I must tell a medical anecdote.
Annie Jones [00:34:18] Okay, great.
Jordan Jones [00:34:19] I, as about a 20 year old, went in for a routine checkup and they did a bunch of tests. They did all the battery of tests, just normal stuff. And the doctor came back and said, well, you tested positive for tuberculosis. I'm 20 years old at the time. And I say, well, what do I need to do? What does that mean? And he said, don't worry about it, we're just going to ignore it. It's not possible that you have tuberculosis. And he didn't retest me. He just basically said, there's no way this test could be positive. So every time I see the word tuberculosis, I think...
Annie Jones [00:34:58] Are you triggered?
Jordan Jones [00:34:59] No, I just think I had that one. They told me I didn't, but the test said I had tuberculosis.
Annie Jones [00:35:04] Have you ever taken it again? Like, have you ever been tested?
Jordan Jones [00:35:06] No, that was it.
Annie Jones [00:35:07] Have you ever told a medical professional?
Jordan Jones [00:35:09] No, I might have it as we speak.
Annie Jones [00:35:12] God, I hope not. I really hope not, but John Green's book then wins.
Jordan Jones [00:35:16] Easily. 30 points
Annie Jones [00:35:18] I think so too. I think that's one.
Jordan Jones [00:35:19] Even though, look, I appreciate what Archbold has contributed.
Annie Jones [00:35:24] It's like Lipscomb playing in the tournament.
Jordan Jones [00:35:27] Yeah, it's a 16-1.
Annie Jones [00:35:28] Yeah, absolutely.
Jordan Jones [00:35:30] It's Lipscomb versus Houston or something. There's no way. And look, there might be a Lipscombite whose son plays on the team and she's confident that Lipscombe’s going to be able to play, but it's like no it's a 20 point game from the jump.
Annie Jones [00:35:49] I agree with you there. Let's move on to the next pairing. We've got two fiction titles. We've got The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, and we have The Story She Left Behind by Callahan-Henry. I'd be curious. I think I know why Olivia paired these or pitted these against each other. So The Correspondent by Virginia Evans is almost like a Theo of Golden type story, except it was traditionally published from the get-go. This book released last spring. Book sellers, independent book sellers in particular loved it, hand sold it. I read this one and loved it. The main character is Sybil. The whole story is told in Sybil's letters. So Sybil writes to authors she really loves. She writes to her brother. She writes to somebody that we don't quite know who it is, but all of the way we get to know Sybil is through these letters that she writes. And Sybil is on the verge of losing her eyesight. She's growing older. And so we kind of are getting a glimpse at the last years of Sybil's life and her relationships and what the loss of eyesight would mean for her. This is a very poignant book. And again, released in the spring. Indie booksellers in particular loved it, hand sold it, The Bookshelf included, but a lot of stores. And the book then hit the New York Times bestseller list in like October or November. So it's one of those little engines that could type books where typically if a book releases and within the first month it's not made it onto the New York Times Bestseller List, it's going to. Like, it's pretty unheard of. Maybe a book like Where the Crawdads Sing did this. I can't remember, but I think Where the Crawdads Sing was a Reese Witherspoon pick. So it kind of hit and blew up almost immediately. The Correspondent, nobody picked this. Jenna Bush Hager didn't pick it. GMA didn't pick it. Oprah didn't pick it. So it kind took on this life of its own. So that's The Correspondent, Bookshelf bestseller, and then ultimately New York Times bestseller.
[00:37:52] And by the way, The Correspondent is a debut novel. So Virginia Evans, this is her first book. The story we left behind is by Patti Callahan-Henry. She's a Birmingham author. I don't know if you came to her event at The Bookshelf, but she has written a lot of fiction, including Becoming Mrs. Lewis, which is like one of my mom's favorite books of the last five to 10 years. And so this was her latest, also she does a really good job, Patti Calahan- Henry does, of writing these books based on true events. So historical fiction. This is based on a true literary mystery where in 1927 this author Bronwyn Newcastle Fordham vanishes off the coast of South Carolina. She had just written a book in an invented language that became this national sensation. But now she's left this kind of book that doesn't have a translation. She's left this daughter behind, and then fast forward to 1952 and Clara, the daughter, is an illustrator raising her own daughter and discovers this handwritten dictionary of her mother's lost language. So anyway, we had the privilege of hosting Patti Callahan Henry at The Bookshelf. Incredibly well-researched. I will never forget. Maybe you can tell from my description, this isn't the kind of book where you could just get up and talk about it without knowing anything about it. Like there's a lot. But she as an author got up and talked all about her research, she never brought out a stitch of notes. And I remember just sitting in awe of this author who had done enough research and was an expert enough on this topic that she needed nary a note to answer every question, to discuss every aspect of this book. I walked away with a real respect for Patti Henry and what she does and how she writes. My mom's a big fan. This might've been my mom's Shelf Subscription selection last spring, I can't remember. But anyway, you've got The Correspondent, which is a debut, versus The Story She Left Behind, which is historical fiction by a relatively prolific historical fiction writer.
Jordan Jones [00:39:58] I think this is one of those where this is like a 12-5. The Correspondence is a 12, The Story She Left Behind is the 5. And The Correspondent is the trendy pick. This is like when you come in with your bracket so pleased with yourself before the game start and you say I picked Yale.
Annie Jones [00:40:17] Are you talking about me?
Jordan Jones [00:40:18] Yeah.
Annie Jones [00:40:18] Oh, you're talking specifically, you're not talking about the royal you.
Jordan Jones [00:40:21] No, I'm talking about Annie B. Jones picks Yale and says rah, rah, rah. What does Yale say? Yeah, and Gilmore Girls.
Annie Jones [00:40:27] Oh, yeah, wait, now I don't remember.
Jordan Jones [00:40:34] You'll remember in a minute.
Annie Jones [00:40:35] Yeah, I will. It's from that episode.
Jordan Jones [00:40:35] It'll come to you. But anyway, you come and say, I picked Yale, I pick Yale, and then the five seed wins and you're like, ugh! And it's almost like now I'm doing the royal you, you pick 12, the five wins and even after the five wins, you tell yourself, but the 12 should have won. I still would have picked the 12.
Annie Jones [00:40:56] Okay, well, I'm going to push back because I think most listeners who are listening to this podcast episode, most of them have read The Correspondent. I bet many of them have not read The Story She Left Behind.
Jordan Jones [00:41:07] Or do you think I've got them mis-seeded?
Annie Jones [00:41:08] I think you've got them mis-seeded, currently. I'm going to say that I know that this happens in March Madness. At the start of the season, somebody looks like they're going to be a high seed or a favorite seed. And then as the season progresses, you realize they're not living up to the hype.
Jordan Jones [00:41:26] Got it. What's that? Who's that on?
Annie Jones [00:41:28] That's the story she left behind, is what I think. No shade.
Jordan Jones [00:41:31] They limped into the tournament.
Annie Jones [00:41:32] Right, no shade to Patty Henry, but I think she's seeded against a book that is currently still on the up and up. Like Virginia Evans has skyrocketed in terms of fame, like she's having to turn down requests. Like this is, to me, that's why I compared it to Theo of Golden, where it's like the correspondent is peeking at the right moment. Throw a rock and you've hit somebody who's read The Correspondent.
Jordan Jones [00:41:57] I see.
Annie Jones [00:41:58] And I don't think that's the case with The Story She Left Behind. I think The Story She Left Behind has a loyal avid fan base.
Jordan Jones [00:42:04] Oh, I see. Okay.
Annie Jones [00:42:05] But The Correspondent is a continued New York Times bestseller, like, is still sitting on that list.
Jordan Jones [00:42:13] Okay, then I'm going to say The Correspondent is the four seed story. She left behind is a 13 seed
Annie Jones [00:42:18] Yeah, that makes more sense.
Jordan Jones [00:42:19] And the four seed is going to win here. Correspondent is coming in with the momentum.
Annie Jones [00:42:27] I think that's accurate. I'm afraid I've talked you out of your original choice, but I think The Correspondent, based on our listener base, well, and just again, how popular it is with the general public, I think, The Correspondent moves forward.
Jordan Jones [00:42:40] I agree. The Correspondent moves forward.
Annie Jones [00:42:44] Next up, we've got two poetry books, which how delightful that there were poetry books in our top 16.
Jordan Jones [00:42:50] Hashtag Caroline.
Annie Jones [00:42:52] Yes, speaking of which, great plug. Thank you so much. Caroline has a new book of poetry, her chat book of Poetry called Signs and Wonders that released this Tuesday as of this podcast recording or publication. And you can come to her event this Saturday and we would love to see you there. Saturday, March 21st, 6 p.m. Come hear Caroline talk about her Signs and Wonders book in conversation with Mary Jane Riles, who is the former poet laureate of the Big Bend. So we would love to see you there. Thanks, good job.
Jordan Jones [00:43:24] We would love to see that book on March Madness next year.
Annie Jones [00:43:28] That's right. We definitely would.
Jordan Jones [00:43:31] Get in the game.
Annie Jones [00:43:32] Okay, so we have two poetry books. One is called Same by Hannah Rosenberg and the other is Rebellion of Care by David Gate. You might recognize Rebellion of Care because hanging above our sink right now is a print that says, let me think if I can get it right, a quiet life is a good life and a good life is a triumph. I believe that's correct.
Jordan Jones [00:43:54] Yes. It's over there.
Annie Jones [00:43:54] And that's not over there anymore, it's hanging above our sink.
Jordan Jones [00:43:56] Oh, you moved it? Okay.
Annie Jones [00:43:57] Yeah, we move art in this house. So it is hanging above out sink. David Gate is a very popular poet on Instagram, and Rebellion of Care is a book that I think I own, actually. But to me, it's got his poetry, but it also has a lot of essays on, I don't know, some people might say deconstruction. He writes a lot about the angst a lot of us feel about politics and American institutions. Anyway, I'll tell you who I made mom gift this book to, who do you think?
Jordan Jones [00:44:36] Your brother.
Annie Jones [00:44:37] Yes. So Chet loves David Gate and also has this book. And then Same is a wonderful collection of poetry I bought. Do I still have it over here? I bought three copies. Remember my girl's trip to Nashville? I was going to give each of the women I met with a copy of this book, because it's a beautiful poetry collection about womanhood. She also is very popular on Instagram, but she writes about a lot of different avenues of womanhood. Like she writes a little bit about motherhood. She writes a lot about friendship, which is why I was going to gift this. I still will gift it to my friends, but now I just have to wait until I...
Jordan Jones [00:45:10] The blizzard came.
Annie Jones [00:45:11] Yeah, and so now I have to wait for that girl's trip. But anyway, I love Hannah, and I cannot wait to see what she does next. But these are some beautiful poems. If you have seen me with Kate Baer's poetry, that would be kind of the comp title. So those are the two poetry collections.
Jordan Jones [00:45:27] It's kind of difficult. These are evenly matched.
Annie Jones [00:45:29] Totally evenly matched.
Jordan Jones [00:45:30] This is like an eight, nine.
Annie Jones [00:45:32] Same is a paperback, if that makes a difference. Rebellion of Care is a little almost giftable hardback. Erin Moon, I think, has promoted David Gates' work quite a bit.
Jordan Jones [00:45:46] So normally, if you're trying to predict what's in my mind, and you've listened to any previous podcast and you're trying to match your bracket with mine, what might go through your head is, huh, Same? Jordan likes things that stay the same, things that are time-tested, right? Things that survive. And he doesn't generally like rebellions, unless we're talking about Star Wars, in which I very much do like rebellion. Or the Hunger Games, where I think that was a necessary rebellion- a just war. But I was going to see how long I could go without Annie laughing. But that quote, I didn't know where that quote came from. That was hanging there. That is a beautiful quote and because of that, that's going to be what tips the scales in favor of Rebellion and Care. You didn't see that one coming.
Annie Jones [00:46:40] I did not see that coming, but I do think that's an even pairing.
Jordan Jones [00:46:43] So the nine wins.
Annie Jones [00:46:44] Okay. This is the other pairing that I think Olivia might have tickled herself about, I don't know. But she told me there was a pairing that she kind of made herself laugh about, and I don't know if it's this one.
Jordan Jones [00:46:55] So I'm the one that's got to pick.
Annie Jones [00:46:57] So it's Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. That was our Conquer a Classic selection for 2025. It nearly did us in, but we did it. Versus Onyx Storm. Are you familiar with Fourth Wing?
Jordan Jones [00:47:10] Yes.
Annie Jones [00:47:11] Okay, so this is the third in the Fourth Wing book series. It's by Rebecca Yaris.
Jordan Jones [00:47:18] You know why I'm aware?
Annie Jones [00:47:19] But I would love to know.
Jordan Jones [00:47:19] All the attorneys at my work came up to me before Onyx Storm dropped and said, there's a deluxe edition and it has black pages. Can Annie get it for me? Can you hold it? I got to come up there and grab it. Can you get me on the inside? Listen, Don Quixote is going to win this for a multitude of reasons. It's full stop.
Annie Jones [00:47:46] Dragon Top Gun, not for you?
Jordan Jones [00:47:48] No.
Annie Jones [00:47:48] Okay, honestly, I'm surprised. Actually, I think without the sex content, you might, because you've already made two Hunger Games references and a reference to that other one, Divergent.
Jordan Jones [00:47:59] I thought you were about to say Lord of the Rings was that other one and I was like, uh-oh.
Annie Jones [00:48:02] No, you hadn't even made a Lord of the Ring reference today.
Jordan Jones [00:48:04] Divergent is the other one.
Annie Jones [00:48:06] Yeah, anyway, so there's a world in which you could read these Rebecca Yaros books. I dipped out after Fourth Wing. I did read Fourth Wing, it was not for me. Though, listen, I did have a good time with Fourth Wing, but I generally speaking don't read series anymore. I don't have the mental capacity for it. I'm going to take it that Don Quixote wins in like a landslide here.
Jordan Jones [00:48:31] I would say that, here's the thing, Don Quixote sees all these visions of, like, he lives inside his head.
Annie Jones [00:48:39] Have you ever read Don Quixote or just watched Man of La Macha?
Jordan Jones [00:48:42] I actually have seen the play, yes. No, it is true that I've never read Don Quixote, I agree with that. I generally know what it's about because I overhear what you tell me.
Annie Jones [00:48:57] You think you know what it's about. I guarantee you, you don't.
Jordan Jones [00:49:00] What? Look...
Annie Jones [00:49:01] I'm just kidding. Honestly, the disappointing thing is if you know about the windmills, that's all you need to know. After a full year of reading that book it turns out that's all you needed.
Jordan Jones [00:49:11] So tell me if this isn't true. Don Quixote comes out on the court, okay? And he thinks the basketballs are giant orange diamonds. Of course, he thinks the opposing players are giants, right?
Annie Jones [00:49:27] Yes, okay.
Jordan Jones [00:49:27] He thinks the hoops are like, I don't know, like some quest. And because he's so in his head, he distracts this Onyx Storm, okay, that comes out there. And don't count it as nothing if not battle the storms. Now, are they the storms in his head that may or may not be schizophrenic OCD? Yes. But he's going to triumph over Onyxx Storm on the basketball court.
Annie Jones [00:49:53] While we're here, if any of the attorneys at Jordan's work are listening to this podcast episode, Jordan did kind of make it sound like it's a pain for me to hold books for people. And I just do need to put out a disclaimer that anyone who needs me to hold a book or get it delivered to them, I do need state for the record that The Bookshelf loves nothing more than fulfilling your requests. So despite what Jordan Jones might have just insinuated, Annie B. Jones wants you to know, please keep ordering books from us with deluxe edition black pages and all.
Jordan Jones [00:50:27] And look, I do love being the delivery boy. Yeah. I do.
Annie Jones [00:50:30] I know that you do. I'm grateful for that. All right, last but not least before we move on and then we've got to move on to narrow get a champion.
Jordan Jones [00:50:39] It always gets faster after.
Annie Jones [00:50:39] Yeah, so we've got Ordinary Time. This is an essay collection by Annie B. Jones. It is Lessons Learned While Staying Put. It is a collection about staying in your hometown, staying in you small town, and making the most out of your ordinary life.
Jordan Jones [00:50:54] And how would you rate it? I'm just kidding. Can you say that? This is Annie's worst nightmare.
Annie Jones [00:50:59] Please don't. Okay, versus the National Book Award-winning Complete Stories by Flannery O'Connor.
Jordan Jones [00:51:07] I knew Olivia had a dark side. I just didn't know it was this onyx color.
Annie Jones [00:51:13] I am honored. I do want to put your mind at ease as my husband and partner. Flannery O'Connor is prolific. She writes about the South in this wonderfully weird, grotesque way. And so I am here to just... What is the word that I want to use? Absolve you of any guilt you might feel. One of the things I love about you is your unbiased nature, and you can move forward whichever team you think most deserves to move forward.
Jordan Jones [00:51:44] Oh, I appreciate you saying that, but did you not think that I had that capacity already?
Annie Jones [00:51:49] I just needed to make sure.
Jordan Jones [00:51:50] Okay. Well, here's the thing. Only one of these two books has moved me emotionally and its Ordinary Time, so I'm going to advance that one.
Annie Jones [00:52:02] Did you cry while reading Ordinary Time?
Jordan Jones [00:52:05] If I didn't, I came close. But it but it wouldn't have been while reading it. I don't think. I think it would have been the first time you read me the manuscript like one of your chapters as it was being written.
Annie Jones [00:52:20] Yes.
Jordan Jones [00:52:21] We sat in this room and just some of those things were terribly moving. So Flannery O'Connor is the goat.
Annie Jones [00:52:38] Though, listen, I think there's some podcast listeners who'd disagree with you now. It's been fascinating to read her as... I should have stated this was our Conquer a Classic for 2020.
Jordan Jones [00:52:46] Look, you're entitled to your wrongness, okay? You're entitled being incorrect. And we can talk about it. We can talk objectively about Flannery O'Connor over martinis. We visited her house and she had a martini-making set. We can talked about that. We can talk about how you're wrong and how you're trying to search for truth here. But Flannery O’Connor is the gmote, or gwoat, greatest woman of all time, or maybe even greatest of all times.
Annie Jones [00:53:15] Oh, I think we can remove the woman designate.
Jordan Jones [00:53:17] I think we probably can.
Annie Jones [00:53:19] I think she is one of the greatest short story writers of all.
Jordan Jones [00:53:21] She is. She's totally. I mean, it is amazing. And in all seriousness, if you know, then you know. Okay. If you disagree, I suggest you go back and really engage with the text. Make yourself, even if it's uncomfortable. And just let the text speak.
Annie Jones [00:53:42] I feel like you, me, and Hunter would talk about Flannery O'Connor would be something people adore.
Jordan Jones [00:53:45] I think they would. So Flannery O'Connor is one of my favorite great books authors in the Western Canon. She is amazing. But Ordinary Time is the one that moved me if I have to be honest.
Annie Jones [00:54:02] Well, thank you very much.
Jordan Jones [00:54:04] I can tell you were not expecting that.
Annie Jones [00:54:05] I'm not, so we're going to move on. Okay, so now we are down to eight. The elite eight are Theo of Golden, It's a Love Story, Heartwood, Everything is Tuberculosis, The Correspondent, Rebellion of Care, Don Quixote, and Ordinary Time. So let me pair these up. Okay, we've got Theo of golden versus It's a Love Story.
Jordan Jones [00:54:29] I think Theo of Golden is probably going to make it into the next round. Kind of as a blue blood it's having its moment.
Annie Jones [00:54:38] It's not. I don't think it's a blue blood.
Jordan Jones [00:54:40] You don't think it's a blue blood?
Annie Jones [00:54:42] No, because a blue blood-
Jordan Jones [00:54:44] Marquette. Golden needles. I see you.
Annie Jones [00:54:49] No, I just mean like it's too new to be a blue blood, but it's one of the teams we discussed this. It's peaking at the right moment. So I do think it beats, It's a Love Story. Though I love you, Annabelle, if you're listening.
Jordan Jones [00:54:58] Yeah, okay, got it.
Annie Jones [00:54:58] But I don't think it's a blue blood.
Jordan Jones [00:55:01] Okay, fair.
Annie Jones [00:55:01] Okay, then we have Heartwood versus everything is tuberculosis.
Jordan Jones [00:55:06] Yeah, Everything is Tuberculosis is going to advance because Magic the Gathering is wonderful, but it's only good for one round. I can't take Heartwood Storyteller, as much as I love that guy, into the next round over John Green.
Annie Jones [00:55:21] The Correspondent, that's the epistolary novel with the older woman protagonist.
Jordan Jones [00:55:25] Epistolary letters.
Annie Jones [00:55:27] Yes. Wow, good. Versus Rebellion of Care, that's the poetry collection.
Jordan Jones [00:55:34] Okay, I think The Correspondent is going to win. I think it's going to be difficult for any poetry book to move past one round.
Annie Jones [00:55:43] I think you're right.
Jordan Jones [00:55:44] A poetry book is kinda niche, it's important, it's very important. But this is the team that shoots threes really well and does nothing else. And so that can get you past one around, but eventually you're going to play some defense, you're going to play a little bit more of a well-rounded team. A team that has a broader fan base and you're just maybe it's a close game, but I think The Correspondent does win.
Annie Jones [00:56:10] I think you're correct there. Okay, and then Don Quixote versus Ordinary Time.
Jordan Jones [00:56:15] So, Don Quixote is one of the most absent-minded characters in all the books. Now, Annie B. Jones is also absent-minded.
Annie Jones [00:56:29] I am and I do hate that.
Jordan Jones [00:56:31] So, we just watched an episode of Scrubs where Mandy Moore's on there, and like...
Annie Jones [00:56:36] I don't think I'm like that character.
Jordan Jones [00:56:37] She's the perfect girl to the main character, except she's the biggest clut [sp]. Annie is not that big of a clut, but let me tell you something. Any day of the week, Annie B. Jones has more common sense than Don Quixote.
Annie Jones [00:56:53] Thank you. I appreciate that.
Jordan Jones [00:56:53] Annie has a lot of common sense. She's objective, and she's not given to the whims of her passion.
Annie Jones [00:57:01] Thank you.
Jordan Jones [00:57:02] And so Ordinary Time is going to advance over Don Quixote. Look, if Ordinary time was going to go out to one of those classics, it would have been Flannery.
Annie Jones [00:57:09] Okay, that's what I thought. That's why I said it would hurt like I would rather personally go out to Flannery than I would to Don.
Jordan Jones [00:57:14] Listen, what happens on the court is Don Quixote comes out there swinging like crazy, going nuts, and Annie B. Jones just has to stay focused and not laugh. And if she can just stay focused, then she puts Don Quixote away.
Annie Jones [00:57:29] All right, so this is interesting. We're down to our final four. Theo of Golden, Everything is Tuberculosis, The Correspondent, Ordinary Time. Okay, this will be hard. So Theo of Golden versus Everything is Tuberculosis.
Jordan Jones [00:57:45] Everything is Tuberculosis beats Theo of Golden.
Annie Jones [00:57:47] Okay, the momentum can only take you so far.
Jordan Jones [00:57:51] Correct and it's a close game. It's hard fought. The golden boys come out there, golden eagles, they're shooting like crazy, but Everything is Tuberculosis, eventually makes a run. And spoiler alert, it has infected the team of Theo of Golden with TB. They went to the doctor. The doctor said, it's TB, don't worry about it. But guess when the symptoms came on full force during the second half...
Annie Jones [00:58:19] Well, you painted such a vivid picture for us anyway.
Jordan Jones [00:58:22] They just they just get winded. Everything is Tuberculosis advances because it is the disease.
Annie Jones [00:58:31] Can't wait for the emails about this episode.
Jordan Jones [00:58:32] It is a disease. It eats healthy people for breakfast.
Annie Jones [00:58:35] Yikes! Okay, great! That's Everything a Tuberculosis. Okay, now we have...
Jordan Jones [00:58:41] Do you get emails about the podcast?
Annie Jones [00:58:42] Jordan. Yes. Here's the irony, I'll get emails and you'll not hear a peep.
Jordan Jones [00:58:50] Just forward them to me.
Annie Jones [00:58:52] Okay. All right.
Jordan Jones [00:58:54] I'll have a conversation. Come here. I'm here all day. We can have a conversation.
Annie Jones [00:58:58] Okay. So that's Everything is Tuberculosis. Now we have, this would be very hard, The Correspondent versus Ordinary Time.
Jordan Jones [00:59:05] Ooh, you know what makes this difficult? Because the author of Ordinary Time once wanted to be a correspondent. In her dreams, she still is. She's on the helicopter with the headset leaning out and saying, look at these sand dunes and whatever. She's on other side of the world. I am going to say that in this narrow situation, Ordinary time advances. Just barely over The Correspondent. The Correspondent is up like double digits with two minutes left. Ordinary Time starts fouling. And the Correspondent can't hit its free throws because correspondents are always moving, they're always running around, but when they have to stop, when the game slows down, they fall apart. They need war. They need chaos.
Annie Jones [00:59:58] Did you forget this is about the correspondent who's an elderly letter writer?
Jordan Jones [01:00:02] An elderly letter writer wouldn't last one moment on the court, so either way you get there.
Annie Jones [01:00:08] Did you forget the magic?
Jordan Jones [01:00:09] Annie B. Jones versus an elderly letter writer, that's ideal.
Annie Jones [01:00:13] That sounds like a good type of thing. That sounds wonderful.
Jordan Jones [01:00:16] Oh, yeah, okay.
Annie Jones [01:00:18] You thought The Correspondent was about a war correspondent. We've been talking about it for an hour.
Jordan Jones [01:00:22] No, I don't think it's about that. I'm just saying I don't think Heartwood is about Magic of the Gathering.
Annie Jones [01:00:29] Okay, so we have our final two. I don't think Olivia could have predicted this. This is Everything is Tuberculosis versus Ordinary Time.
Jordan Jones [01:00:40] We have these moments in life where we have mass disease, most of us here lived through COVID.
Annie Jones [01:00:54] If we have a listener who did not live through COVID, that would be genuinely shocking to me.
Jordan Jones [01:00:58] You can have a kid in the backseat.
Annie Jones [01:00:58] A five-year-old fan.
Jordan Jones [01:00:59] You can get a kid in the back seat. Okay, and how do we get through these things when we look around and we say, everything is tuberculosis, everything is COVID, everything is politics, I'm so mad. The world is terrible, woe is me. I'm the most picked on person ever. Sometimes you have to sit down and you have just be grateful for your ordinary life. And if you want to do that, I would suggest Ordinary Time, published by HarperCollins, do y'all remember reading Rainbow? Ordinary Time defeats John Green in one of the most massive upsets.
Annie Jones [01:01:43] That would be an upset.
Jordan Jones [01:01:46] Since Lehigh beat Duke. Okay, but it can happen. It can happen, and boy, does it happen. And Annie B. Jones goes out on the court and guess what expression she makes on her face is this expression where her face is all lit up and she's dancing and the camera catches her and it looks like a Charlie Brown character. This has been captured in multiple photos and she even can't believe it, but you know what, it happens. And is that less believable than what's happened in your life over the past three years? The answer is no.
Annie Jones [01:02:23] I can't believe it. When Olivia was like, you don't want me to include Ordinary Time on this list, do you? And I was like oh, you can include it. Jordan will knock it out in like the first round. I fully believed.
Jordan Jones [01:02:33] If it weren't worthy, I would.
Annie Jones [01:02:35] Well, thank you. So this year's March Madness 2026 champion is Ordinary Time by Annie B. Jones.
Jordan Jones [01:02:45] Wait, who wrote it?
Annie Jones [01:02:46] By Annie B Jones. Thank you. Jordan Jones, best wishes on your bracket.
Jordan Jones [01:02:52] Thank you.
Annie Jones [01:02:52] I hope I prevail. Best wishes
Jordan Jones [01:02:55] No best wishes on my bracket? You hope I win?
Annie Jones [01:02:57] No, I've said best wishes on your bracket. I hope I am as successful versus you as I was today
Jordan Jones [01:03:03] Oh, yeah.
Annie Jones [01:03:04] Yeah.
Jordan Jones [01:03:04] I hope you're not. You got your win. Why can't you just let me have mine now?
Annie Jones [01:03:09] Because Isaac's here now, and I have to show him a true example of feminism.
Jordan Jones [01:03:14] The truest example of feminism, beating your husband in a March Madness practice.
Annie Jones [01:03:19] I have to set an example.
Jordan Jones [01:03:22] Isaac is going to be filling out a bracket this year.
Annie Jones [01:03:24] It's going to be fun.
Jordan Jones [01:03:25] I'm so excited.
Annie Jones [01:03:26] Thanks for being here. Don't forget, everybody, you can fill out your own bracket by screenshotting our bracket online. Share it with us on Instagram. Let us know what your top 2026 pick would be. And don't forget to buy your March Madness merch. We have shirts and stickers, and the shirts are really cute. Thank you to Lindsay from Pen and Paint for making my woman's place is in the paint dreams come true. Go to bookshelfthomansville.com to get yours. This week, I'm reading All the World Can Hold by Jung Yun. Jordan, what are you reading?
Jordan Jones [01:03:57] This week I'm reading Miracles by C.S. Lewis, which I had not yet read. It is phenomenal. And I am also reading Upgrade by Blake Crouch.