You Are What You Read

On this special episode of You Are What You Read, we are LIVE from the annual Frank Sinatra Birthday Party at his very favorite restaurant, Patsy’s Italian Restaurant in New York City. In this episode, we bring you right to the table filled with fabulous guests and fans of Mr. Sinatra. Frank’s granddaughter, AJ Lambert, his great-granddaughter, Miranda, and David Lawrence, the son of Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, join us for a special tribute to Old Blue Eyes. You’ll also hear from the Scognamillo family: Sal, Lisa and Joe. They have owned and operated Patsy’s for generations; their stories will illuminate why Mr. Sinatra has remained one of the greatest American voices of all time. Happy Birthday, Frank Sinatra! Read more about the Frank Sinatra Luncheon at Appetito Magazine: Frank Sinatra’s 110th Birthday at Patsy’s Italian Restaurant - Appetito Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are bringing you an interview with Madeleine Wickham, also known as the international bestselling author Sophie Kinsella. As you may have read, Sophie lost her battle with glioblastoma. Sophie was a dear friend and beloved by readers around the world. Sophie’s Shopaholic series was a global phenomenon… 50 million readers (and counting) read about the worlds that Sophie created. Sophie was a balm and a comfort in this weary world, and she brought us 30 novels in 30 years. Our last conversation was about her What Does It Feel Like? Sophie's novel about Eve, a woman who wakes up in a hospital and can’t remember how she got there. The novel was published a year ago- and it became an instant bestseller. Readers related to Eve’s journey, the pain of sharing a diagnosis with her children, the good husband, who is a rock and the celebration of small victories that shored up the strength of the family in the face of a daunting illness. In this conversation are Sophie’s thoughts on life, death, creativity and the journeys of our souls… We hope you enjoy.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have had a spectacular year on You Are What You Read with some of the greatest writers in the world! Thank you all for joining us every week, for your comments and reviews, and for joining us on the road. We have loved meeting you and hearing your thoughts. This holiday season, we are highlighting some of your favorite guests from 2025. Here to join us, is our dear friend Jake Morrissey. Jake is the Executive Editor at Riverhead Books at Penguin Random House. Jake works with bestselling and award-winning authors, including Daniel H. Pink, Anne Lamott, James McBride, Priya Parker, Michele Harper, and Marlon James, with whom he cohosts the podcast Marlon & Jake Read Dead People. Today, we take a look back on some of our favorite books from this year…the best in fiction, nonfiction, cookbooks, and the books we are looking forward to in 2026.  Titles mentioned in this episode:  Fiction:  Audition by Katie Kitamura Colored Television by Danzy Senna The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus by Emma Knight The Life Impossible by Matt Haig Among Friends by Hal Ebbott Persuasion by Jane Austen Nash Falls by David Baldacci The Unraveling of Julia Lisa Scottoline Whatever Happened to Lori Lovely by Sarah McCoy The Correspondent by Virginia Evans My Grandma and Grandpa Rock! by Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo Dangerland by Eric Singer Skylark by Paula McLain It Girl by Allison Pataki Waiting for Dawn: Living with Uncertainty Marisa Renee Lee The Viper by Brad Meltzer  The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave The Award by Matthew Pearl The Hollywood Fix by Richard Kirshenbaum Nonfiction: I Said Yes to Everything by Lee Grant Before You Fly Away by Christina Geist Heart Life Music by Kenny Chesney Waiting on the Moon by Peter Wolf When It All Burns by Jordan Thomas The American Revolution and the Fate of the World by Richard Bell We Did It, Kid by Anthony Hopkins The Art of Spending Money by Morgan House l1929 by Aaron Ross Sorkin Cookbooks:  You Can Make This!  Lidia’s The Art of Pasta  Italian Snacking by Anna Francese Gass Cooking with Nonna by Rossella Rago My Harvest Kitchen by Gesine Bullock-Prado The Delmonico Way by Max Tucci  Shows:  Oedipus The Mousetrap Oratorio Films:Hamnet Knives Out Frankenstein  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s episode of You Are What You Read is all about Rock & Roll. Today, we are joined by Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo with their adorable new children’s picture book.. My Grandma and Grandpa Rock!  You know Pat and Neil’s hits, “We Belong,” “Invincible,” “Love Is A Battlefield,” “Promises In The Dark,” “We Live For Love,” “Heartbreaker” and “Hell Is For Children.” Together, Pat and Neil have created two multi-platinum, five platinum, and three gold albums, along with 19 Top 40 hits. They’ve sold more than 36 million records worldwide and earned four consecutive GRAMMY® Awards. Their honors also include three American Music Awards, a People’s Choice Award, induction into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame (2008), and most recently, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Their latest project, the New York Times and USA Today bestselling children’s book, continues their creative legacy in a whole new way. My Grandma & Grandpa Rock! is a labor of love for grandparents and grandchildren everywhere. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The holiday season is upon us, and here to kick things off on You Are What You Read is world-renowned restaurateur, author and culinary ambassador, Max Tucci. Max is the third generation partner of Delmonico’s Restaurant New York, which he led in reopening. He is also the owner of TUCCI New York, one of the city’s hottest new Italian restaurants with Max’s signature flair, cuisine and down home glamour. Today, Max joins us with his gorgeous book, The Delmonico Way: Sublime Entertaining and Legendary Recipes from the Restaurant That Made New York. This is the perfect gift for the holidays, filled with delicious recipes, family stories and history of one of NYC's finest restaurants. You can watch Max now in My Nightmare Stalker: The Eva LaRue Story on Paramount+.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices