Positive Masculinity with American Ninja Warrior Host Akbar Gbajabiamila

This week on the pod, Jen and Brett sat down with Professor Mo Ogrodnik from NYU. They talked about Mo's new book Gulf, featuring stories from women in the Gulf States. They also covered the impact of international education, shifting geopolitics in the region, and Brett's experience as one of Mo's students.Mo's Recommendations:Secondhand Time by Svetlana AlexievichWe Do Not Part by Han KangThe Autobiography of My Mother by Jamaica KincaidThe Village Well Podcast is brought to you by Village Well Books & Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in downtown Culver City, CA. Each episode, we interview authors and readers about books that capture our imagination. New episodes every Wednesday.If you'd like to get in touch, you can email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you love the show and want us to keep creating, please consider subscribing on YouTube or leaving us a review wherever you listen!

On this very special Mother’s Day episode, Jen and her daughter Allie sat down with Angourie and Kate Rice to talk about their new book Stuck Up and Stupid, a contemporary YA adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. They talked about their work collaborating together, their relationship with each other, and their love for Jane Austin. We hope you enjoy!The Rices’ Recommendations:- The Art Thief by Michael Finkel- My Friends by Fredrik Backman- You Belong With Me by Mhairi McFarlaneThe Village Well Podcast is brought to you by Village Well Books & Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in downtown Culver City, CA. Each episode, we interview authors and readers about books that capture our imagination. New episodes every Wednesday.If you'd like to get in touch, you can email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you love the show and want us to keep creating, please consider subscribing on YouTube or leaving us a review wherever you listen!

This week on the pod, Anneliese Judge stopped by to chat with Brett and Neema! She talked about her love of reading, her experience as an actor on Sweet Magnolias, and her inspiration for starting a book club (Who to Judge). We hope you enjoy!Anneliese’s Recommendations:- The Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors- Daughter of Daring by Mallory O'Meara- Tell Me How You Really Feel by Betty CayouetteThe Village Well Podcast is brought to you by Village Well Books & Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in downtown Culver City, CA. Each episode, we interview authors and readers about books that capture our imagination. New episodes every Wednesday.If you'd like to get in touch, you can email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you love the show and want us to keep creating, please consider subscribing on YouTube or leaving us a review wherever you listen!

This week on the pod, Josh and Sam sat down with Professor Leah Litman to talk about her new book Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes. Leah is a professor of Law at the University of Michigan and co-host of the legal podcast Strict Scrutiny. She has a gift for breaking down complicated legal decisions into straightforward summaries, and she sprinkles in a healthy dose of pop culture along the way. We hope you enjoy!Grab your copy of Lawless HERELeah’s Recommendations:- Dark Money by Jane Mayer- How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt- Lady Justice by Dahlia LithwickThe Village Well Podcast is brought to you by Village Well Books & Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in downtown Culver City, CA. Each episode, we interview authors and readers about books that capture our imagination. New episodes every Wednesday.If you'd like to get in touch, you can email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you love the show and want us to keep creating, please consider subscribing on YouTube or leaving us a review wherever you listen!

On this episode of the Village Well Podcast, we sat down with Dave Ehrlich, a Sales Rep from the book publisher Chronicle Books. We talked about the publishing world and exciting new releases for 2025.Dave's Picks for 2025:100 Afternoon Sweets by Sarah KiefferOne Week in January by Carson EllisTaste In Music by Luke Pyenson and Alex BleekerPalace Costume by Mimi HaddonThey Hold the Line by Dan Paley and Molly MendozaA Fearless Eye by Barbara Ramos, Sally Stein, and Steven HellerThe Village Well Podcast is brought to you by Village Well Books & Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in downtown Culver City, CA. Each episode, we interview authors and readers about books that capture our imagination. New episodes every Wednesday.If you'd like to get in touch, you can email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you love the show and want us to keep creating, please consider subscribing on YouTube or leaving us a review wherever you listen!

On this special live episode of the Village Well Podcast, Colin Hinckley sits down with author Philip Fracassi to talk Sci-Fi, Horror, and time travel in his new book The Third Rule of Time Travel. This was a fun one!The Village Well Podcast is brought to you by Village Well Books & Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in downtown Culver City, CA. Each episode, we interview authors and readers about books that capture our imagination. New episodes every Wednesday. If you'd like to get in touch, you can email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you love the show and want us to keep creating, please consider subscribing on YouTube or leaving us a review wherever you listen!

This week we sat down with Sophie and Andrea from Piece by Piece - a nonprofit that teaches those experiencing homelessness how to make mosaic art. We talk about the organization's founding, how its grown over time, and the healing power of art. If you'd like to learn more, head to piecebypiece.orgSophie and Andrea's Recommendations:- The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle- Art is the Highest Form of Hope by PhaidonThe Village Well Podcast is brought to you by Village Well Books & Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in downtown Culver City, CA. Each episode, we interview authors and readers about books that capture our imagination. New episodes every Wednesday. If you'd like to get in touch, you can email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you love the show and want us to keep creating, please consider subscribing on YouTube or leaving us a review wherever you listen!

In this week's episode, we had a lovely chat with local LA Poet Kim Dower. We talked about her new book What She Wants, her experience as an artist and as a businesswoman, and the way the literary world has changed over the decades.Kim's Recommendations:- Exit Opera by Kim Addonizio- Revolutionary Letters by Diane di Prima- Lunch Poems by Frank O'HaraThe Village Well Podcast is brought to you by Village Well Books & Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in downtown Culver City, CA. Each episode, we interview authors and readers about books that capture our imagination. New episodes every Wednesday. If you'd like to get in touch, you can email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you love the show and want us to keep creating, please consider subscribing on YouTube or leaving us a review wherever you listen!

Welcome to the Village Well Podcast. This week, we're recapping our SciFi/Fantasy Book Club's discussion of The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett. Special thanks to our lovely Village Well customers Roshni and Joe for joining us! If you'd like to join any of our Book Clubs, check out our events page on villagewell.com. You can also head there to order the titles discussed each episode.The Village Well Podcast is brought to you by Village Well Books & Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in downtown Culver City, CA. Each episode, we interview authors and readers about books that capture our imagination. New episodes every Wednesday. If you'd like to get in touch, you can email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you love the show and want us to keep creating, please consider subscribing on YouTube or leaving us a review wherever you listen!

This week on the Village Well Podcast we sat down with American Ninja Warrior host and former NFL player Akbar Gbajabiamila! We talked about his book Everyone Can Be a Ninja which covers family, faith, and positive masculinity. Enjoy!Akbar's Recommendations:- Will by Will Smith- A Promised Land by Barack Obama- Born a Crime by Trevor NoahThe Village Well Podcast is brought to you by Village Well Books & Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ in downtown Culver City, CA. Each episode, we interview authors and readers about books that capture our imagination. New episodes every Wednesday. If you'd like to get in touch, you can email us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.If you love the show and want us to keep creating, please consider subscribing on YouTube or leaving us a review wherever you listen!