Carol Ann Tack
@carolanntack
Librarian and Host of Top Shelf Podcast. Book lover, book talker, book reviewer, all things books.
Happy Pub Day to a guy who's definitely no amateur! He’s still finding ways to entertain us readers after 26 books. So thrilled to have hosted Chris Bohjalian to talk about his brand new book, THE AMATEUR. Listen to our convo here: bit.ly/3TWindP Thank you so much, @chrisbohjalian.bsky.social!
My copy of the magnificent, SUNRISE, by Téa Obreht. Multi-colored tabs, annotations, ‼️marks, you name it. It’s indescribable. She does some heavy lifting here-gorgeously so. "Sunrise is thrilling and ingenious.” ~Leila Lalani SUNRISE by Téa Obreht on shelves 8/11. @randomhouse.bsky.social
My copy of this magnificent book. SUNRISE by Téa Obreht will be on shelves 8/11/26. #booksky #teaobreht @randomhouse.bsky.social
Happy book pub day to the incredible @kathleenmrooney.bsky.social. On shelves right now, Man Overboard! is THE book of the summer. I was thrilled to host her for E175 of Top Shelf. Listen here: bit.ly/3QGnygZ. Thanks so much for coming back on the show, Kathleen, this book has my whole heart. 🌊🏊🏻
New episode: bit.ly/4eBi6F9 Ethan Joella stopped by Top Shelf to talk about his latest book,The Top of the World. Set in the Poconos during the 1970s, a young woman is searching for answers about her brother’s last days. Go back in time with us both as we talk nostalgia, love, & more! #BookSky
When things go wrong, you'll find they usually go on getting worse for some time; but when things once start going right they often go on getting better and better. #SundaySentence from The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis.
“It’s easy to charm a person who talks too much: all you have to do is listen.” London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe. #SundaySentence #BookSky
🚨 Library Book Discussions! 🚨 I’m thrilled to be hosting two on Long Island: 📚 Merrick Library on March 11th, 2:30pm THE DOORMAN by Chris Pavone 📚 North Bellmore Public Library on March 25, 2pm SEASCRAPER by Benjamin Wood Registration is encouraged. Please call each library for details! #booksky
E172 hits the ice just in time: bit.ly/4b09EgG. A special episode w/journalist & author @danrobson.bsky.social. We talk about his latest co-authored memoir, Hammered: The Fight of My Life by Dave “The Hammer” Schultz. A candid & compelling memoir by a hockey great. Terrific convo, give a listen.
E171 is up & running: bit.ly/4r9nkeY Huge thanks to author Eleanor Shearer for joining me to talk about her beautiful new novel, Fireflies in Winter. We talk about the Jamaican Maroon colony, her research for this book, her lovely prose, what she’s working on next, & more! Give a listen. #booksky
Is it lying when one knows how one wants things to turn out and then says what is needed to achieve that result? Another #SundaySentence from VIGIL by George Saunders.
Greed, greed, one could taste it in the air. #SundaySentence from VIGIL by George Saunders. There’s a veritable treasure trove of sentences in this one. #BookSky
“But to me, it's becoming clear that writing and reading is a way of simply underscoring that human connection is important, that you can know my mind and I can know yours, which is a vastly consoling idea, and we need it.” #SundaySentence from George Saunders Is No Saint, NYT Magazine 1/18/2026.
I started the audiobook of Hammered: The Fight of My Life by Dave Shultz (with Dan Robson), and beautifully narrated by Wayne Ward. Raw, honest, & heartbreaking. Schultz holds nothing back in the telling of his story. Can't wait to listen to more. Don’t miss it. #BookSky @danrobson.bsky.social
The goal was to take down my Christmas tree yesterday, but I saw this on my bookshelf and thought, "You know what, let's check it out." Well, the tree is *still* up and I finished HEAD CASES by John McMahon in ONE day. A great thriller! Sorry I was late to this party, but I'm here now! #booksky
We get old to be able to recalibrate everything we thought was going to be important. #SundaySentence from Buckeye by Patrick Ryan. #booksky
A GUARDIAN AND A THIEF by Megha Majumdar has just stayed and stayed and stayed with me. Set over one week in near-future Kolkata, India, two families clash to protect their children. The tension starts on page one and my goodness, never lets go. Day 10 of #libfaves25, in no particular order.
NORTH SUN: THE VOYAGE OF THE WHALESHIP ESTHER by Ethan Rutherford is impossible to prepare for & I loved every page. A late-19thC American whaling ship embarks on an ill-fated voyage. Allegory, hist fic, horror, magical realism, it’s all here. Godspeed readers, godspeed. Day 9 of #libfaves25
Reposting this #SundaySentence: “Someday, my dad said, things won't be broken any more…till then, we've got to fix what broken things we can.” From the marvelous, The Country Under Heaven by Frederic S. Durbin. This book also appears on my #libfaves25. #booksky @melvillehouse.bsky.social #topten
SEASCRAPER by Benjamin Wood is utterly sublime. In a small British seaside town, a young seascraper caring for his mother, dreams of becoming a folk singer. One day a stranger comes to town who could potentially offer him a way out. Day 7 of #libfaves25, in no particular order. #booksky
THE NAMES, by Florence Knapp, is book club gold! What’s in a name? As it turns out plenty, in this terrific alternate time-line debut. For me, all the buzz for this book was absolutely warranted. Loved it. #libfaves25
WHISTLE by Linwood Barclay scared the daylights outta me. A mother and her young son leave NYC to make a fresh start in a rural town and while you may think you know how this kind of horror story goes, you really don’t. My goodness, hold onto your hat! 🚂 #libfaves25
GLORY DAZE by Danielle Arceneaux is the 2nd book in the glorious Glory Brussard series. Was her ex-husband murdered? Louisiana bookie-turned-reluctant PI Glory is on the case. A twisty mystery, heartfelt characters, and tasty food. Loved hosting Danielle for both books on Top Shelf. #libfaves25
ANGEL DOWN by Daniel Kraus knocked me flat and left me breathless. Five WWI soldiers encounter a fallen angel and I have no words to describe what happens next- it is a gorgeous, brutal, and haunting story that will stay with you. #libfaves25
AMITY by Nathan Harris is an absolute stunner. And of course it is, it's Nathan Harris! An epic post-Civil War tale of an emancipated man's desperate search for his sister, leading him all the way to Mexico, but he's not the only one searching for her. #libfaves25
“Hate and anger never got too old to soil the world and wreak havoc.” #SundaySentence from, Echo by Tracy Clark. #booksky #tracyclark
“There was enough self-control in that house for six families.” #SundaySentence from the absolutely sublime, So Long, See You Tomorrow by the late William Maxwell.