February Letter

Hello, book lovers!

If you listen closely, you may hear the lilting sound of calliope music coming from this week’s mini episode. It’s all about carousels in literature, inspired by Dorothy B. Hughes’ noir novel Ride the Pink Horse, a book we mentioned in last week’s episode.

Next week, we’ll pivot (or should we say pirouette?) to the enchanting (and occasionally sordid) world of ballet and the theater. We’re discussing Noel Streatfeild’s children’s classic, Ballet Shoes, and its “shadow twin,” her lesser-known adult novel The Whicharts. Blogger and bookstagrammer Wendy-Marie Chabot will be joining us with jazz hands and perfect turnout while we reminisce about our own inauspicious, short-lived dance careers.

It may take a bit of sleuthing to track down a title from the next lost lady on our list. Heiress and Parisian “It Girl” Daisy Fellowes was filthy rich and fabulous, but she also dabbled in fiction-writing! We’re so pleased to welcome Leigh Plessner, creative director of jewelry brand Catbird, to the show to discuss Fellowes’s amazingly decadent life and her unexpected novella, Sundays: A Fantasy.

Speaking of poor little rich girls, we recommend you check out Heiresses: The Lives of Million Dollar Babies, which comes out this week in the U.S. and was written by our former guest, the amazing Laura Thompson. And if you haven’t yet, listen to our conversation with Laura about Pursuit of Love author Nancy Mitford!

Most sincerely,

Amy & Kim