Today I sit down with my friend and fellow writer, who's also apparently a musician, and truly just all around great person who's a joy to talk with: Traci Lambrecht. She chose the book we both read--The Partisan--and we sit down to talk about the book, writing, literature in general, her stint as a lead singer for a 90s indie/punk band, and why she chose this particular book for us to chat about.

Here's her bio:Traci Lambrecht spent most of her childhood riding and showing horses. She graduated with a Russian Studies major from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, where she also studied voice. Her aspirations of becoming a spy were dashed when the Cold War ended, so she began writing to finance her annoying habits of travel and singing in rock bands. Much to her mother’s relief, she finally realized that the written word was her true calling. Together, they had a long, prolific career writing together in many genres until PJ’s passing in December 2016. Traci continues to write like a maniac, with PJ’s spirit sitting on her shoulder, cracking wise.

You can preorder copies of Traci's latest book (Deepest Cut) which comes out 9/9/2025 at her home-base bookstore Once Upon A Crime: https://onceuponacrimebooks.com/book/9781639108770We name-check a number of books along the way:

First and foremost, Patrick Worrall's The Partisan (2022): https://amzn.to/3YVVV4l

But also his follow-up The Exile (2024)

and The Aristocracy (2026): https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/288057/patrick-worral

Robin White's Siberian Light (1997): https://amzn.to/45l0jOa

My book, The Life and Times of SKAborough Fair (2022): https://amzn.to/3SKedBX

Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina (1878): https://amzn.to/44HtLh7

Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov (1880): https://amzn.to/4kq1Syz

Fyodor Dostoevsky's Notes From Underground (1864): https://amzn.to/4mHGDKT

Thanks for listening and/or watching!

Your friendly intensely curious author, researcher, and indie publisher!

http://www.michaelmacbride.com

#unsolicitedreview #bookreview #unsolicitedbookreview #macbride #books #booktok #bookstagram #fiction #tracilambrecht #PJtracy #patrickworrall #ThePartisan #Monkeewrench #TheDeepestCut #Poke

Unsolicited book review Tuesday... except it's not on a Tuesday.

Today's installment: Conversation with Colin Scharf about Bret Eason Ellis' Less Than Zero Unlike most episodes, this time I sit down with my friend, fellow writer, musician, cinematographer, music producer, and all around great guy, Colin Scharf. He chose the book we both read--Less Than Zero--and we sit down to talk about the book, teaching, the 80s, being a musician, and why he chose this particular book for us to chat about. You can catch Colin at the Holiday Classic (December 20 and 21), buy tickets now: ⁠https://www.simpletix.com/e/the-holiday-classic-2024-tickets-190495⁠ Enjoy some footage from last year's Holiday Classic: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-jmAbp1dpw⁠ Or, his bands: Silver Summer: ⁠https://silversummerlovers.bandcamp.com/⁠ Good Night Gold Dust: ⁠https://goodnightgolddust.bandcamp.com/⁠ His recording studio: Gold Mine Studios: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/goldmine.studios/⁠ His record label: Precious Metals Records: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/preciousmetalsrecords/⁠ His wife's band: Given Names: ⁠https://givennamesmn.bandcamp.com/⁠ And, of course, grab a copy of the book so you can see what you think: ⁠https://amzn.to/4fGL5W2⁠ Thanks for listening and/or watching! Your friendly intensely curious author and indie publisher! ⁠http://www.michaelmacbride.com⁠

Hey hey! Quick mailbag episode to answer a couple questions!

Thanks for listening and/or watching! Your friendly intensely curious author and indie publisher! http://www.michaelmacbride.com

Unlike most episodes, this time I sit down with my friend, fellow writer, and professor Christopher Field. He chose the book we both read--Book 2 of My Favorite Thing Is Monsters by Emil Ferris)⁠⁠--and we sit down to talk about the book, teaching, literature in general, and why he chose this particular book for us to chat about. Book 1: https://amzn.to/4dFg3Ng

Book 2: https://amzn.to/4dFDdTG Thanks for listening and/or watching! Your friendly intensely curious author and indie publisher! http://www.michaelmacbride.com

Unlike most episodes, this time I sit down with my friend Anthony to talk about a book he chose: The Beatles Couldn't Read Music? from the Wait! What? series, by Dan Gutman and illustrated by Allison Steinfeld.

You can grab a copy here: https://amzn.to/4bRC0rN

Thanks for listening!

Your friendly intensely curious author and indie publisher!

http://www.michaelmacbride.com

Unlike most episodes, this time I sit down with Leslie Ritenour (aka: Babybeanlettuce) who is the artist and illustrator and artist for Who Gives a Duck?! We chat about her background, influences, how she approached this project, and a variety of other topics.

You can find Leslie online:

https://babybeanlettuceartllc.com/
https://www.instagram.com/babybeanlettuce/
https://www.tiktok.com/@babybeanlettuce
https://www.facebook.com/BabyBeanLettuce/ You can pick up a copy of Who Gives a Duck?! right now, at: https://www.saltybookspub.com/shop

Thanks for listening!

Your friendly intensely curious author and indie publisher!

http://www.michaelmacbride.com

Kate Murphy, Sue Black, Tommy Orange, Bill Hammack, and Ben Goldfarb walk into a bar... and I review their books: You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters; Written in Bone: Hidden Stories in What We Leave Behind; Wandering Stars and There There; The Things We Make: The Unknown History of Invention from Cathedrals to Soda Cans; and Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet.

What can you expect? Quick unsolicited book reviews of whatever Michael David MacBride is reading and has enjoyed recently. Typically 3-5 minutes per review, and typically 3-5 reviews per episode.

Michael's webpage: ⁠⁠https://www.michaelmacbride.com/⁠⁠

Links to the books:

Kate Murphy's You're Not Listening: What You're Missing and Why It Matters (https://amzn.to/4azHiXn)

Sue Black's Written in Bone: Hidden Stories in What We Leave Behind (https://amzn.to/45cuc1j)

Tommy Orange's Wandering Stars (https://amzn.to/4azpUBO) and There There (https://amzn.to/3KdGD39)

Bill Hammack's The Things We Make: The Unknown History of Invention from Cathedrals to Soda Cans (https://amzn.to/3USHkUp)

Ben Goldfarb's Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet (https://amzn.to/3UPzbA2)

Jake Berman, John E. Morris, Paul Murray, George Saunders, and Temple Grandin walk into a bar... and I review their books: The Lost Subways of North America; Subway; The Bee Sting; A Swim in a Pond in the Rain; and Visual Thinking.

What can you expect? Quick unsolicited book reviews of whatever Michael David MacBride is reading and has enjoyed recently. Typically 3-5 minutes per review, and typically 3-5 reviews per episode.

Michael's webpage: ⁠⁠https://www.michaelmacbride.com/⁠⁠

Links to the books:

• Jake Berman The Lost Subways of North America: A Cartographic Guide to the Past, Present, and What Might Have Been--https://amzn.to/4bbc3mv
• John E. Morris Subway: The Curiosities, Secrets, and Unofficial History of the New York City Transit System--https://amzn.to/4b7rdJr
• Paul Murray The Bee Sting--https://amzn.to/4a38Yna
• George Saunders A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life--https://amzn.to/3JQtflh
• Temple Grandin Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns, and Abstractions--https://amzn.to/4dsV3JU