Drinks in the Library

2 Years of Drinks in the Library gets a special episode!

Carrie Pruett, who did the DITL Wuthering Heights Book episode with me, and I discussed the Wuthering Heights Film by director Emerald Fennell, and it was so much fun! There are spoilers so please pause if you are waiting to see it (although the book came out in 1847 so you how mad can you be at spoilers?)

The perfect drink pairing with this book is a very dark and full bodied red wine (we tried Witching Hour Red Blend) and Raspberry Dark Chocolate (we tried Ghiridelli). This is the ONLY food drink pairing for this film, I fully expect this fact to be added to the film’s Wikipedia page!

Thank you so much to Carrie for recording with me, this was a lot of fun, who knows, maybe more film reviews are in DITL’s future!

Here are a few things Carrie mentioned in the episode:

Wuthering Heights (1939) - stars Laurence Olivier

Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights (1992) - stars Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche

Wuthering Heights (2011) - directed by Andrea Arnold (Allison Anders misquoted in episode).

This week’s book is The Once and Future Witches by Alix E. Harrow, the story of three sisters in 1893: Juiper, Agnes and Beatrice who are hunted by forces who will not suffer a witch to vote, they must use their magic, their wits and alliances to find a way to survive. This led to such an interesting conversation about feminism, sisterhood, science, and lots of magic with this week’s guest: Angie Hilliker!

Angie Hilliker (Ph.D.) is an Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Richmond where she teaches undergraduates about the amazing molecular machines in our cells. She also has a research lab where she works with these budding scientists to understand how our cells regulate mRNA, the molecular recipes cells use to make proteins. She is always curious about something, whether it’s something in the lab, in a book, exploring a hobby (including playing the flute and making pottery), or exploring something with her husband and son. When she isn’t reading science papers for work, she likes to read fantasy, historical fiction and romance novels.

In this Episode
James River Writers
University of Richmond
The Sackler Family
The Poe Museum - Richmond
Ally McBeal

The Wayward Sisters:
Herbal, floral, lightly sweet, and aromatic — like walking through a moonlit herb garden. Contains three major flavor components to represent the three sisters in the novel.
Ingredients:
2 oz Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice Gin (Represents the youngest, but the most intense sister, James Juniper)
1 oz Bénédictine (made from 27 herbs, roots, etc.; a collaboration between a wine merchant and a chemist; represents the oldest sister Beatrice Belladonna, a scholar)
1 tsp of chai tea simple syrup (represents the middle sister, Agnes Amaranth, hard worker, steady, sometimes maternal, like a bracing cup of tea)
2 dashes of orange bitters (there is a lot of bitterness between the sisters, balances the sweetness of the simple syrup)
Orange slice (so much better than lime… this is how G&T are often served in Scotland)
Tonic water
Instructions:
To make the simple syrup, heat 1 c. water, 1 c. sugar, and 6 chai tea bags over medium. Stirring occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and then remove from heat and let cool. Remove tea bags and store syrup in the fridge.
Add the Gin, Bénédictine, and chai tea simple syrup to a shaker with ice. Shake well until chilled, about 15 seconds.
Strain into a glass with ice.
Add two dashes of orange bitters and squeeze in the juice from a slice of orange and drop the slice in the glass. Swirl or stir to mix.
• 5. Top with tonic water to your preferred level and enjoy!

Hi Librarian Nation! This week we are discussing Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, the now-ubiquitous tale of Bella Swan and the vampire who just can’t quit her, Edward Cullen. This story has, of course, been widely read and adapted into famous films, and I was so happy to discuss it with this week’s guests, Christina and Lelia from fellow Richmond book podcast Burn Before Reading!
I was on Burn Before Reading last week talking about being a librarian during the Fifty Shades of Grey craze, so please go check it out (heads up that Burn Before Reading is for mature audiences only!).

Burn Before Reading Podcast is where hosts Christina Kann and Lelia Hilton in an exploration of bad writing, cringey memories, and scandalous literary history. The cringe factor of literature is as ancient as writing itself, and Burn Before Reading is here to explore it all. Every week, Christina & Lelia delve into the story of a piece of writing, a writer, a movement, or a memory to unpack the people they used to be and appreciate how far they’ve come!

O-Positive Party Punch (from Slugs on the Refrigerator Blog)

Ingredients (per glass):
3 oz. cranberry juice
2 oz.pomegranate juice
3 oz.sparkling water
Squeeze of fresh orange
Instructions:
Fill a glass with ice.
Add cranberry and pomegranate juices.
Squeeze in orange and stir.
Top with sparkling water and a thin apple slice.

In this Episode
Vote for DITL in Style Weekly’s Best of Richmond 2026
Drinks in the Library Merch!
The Butterfly Effect
Mean Girls Film
This is the Skin of a Killer, Bella!
The Byrd Theater
Books by Stephenie Meyer
Sinners Film
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by VE Schwab

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl is a whimsical children’s novel about Charlie Bucket, a kind, poor boy who wins a once-in-a-lifetime tour of the mysterious Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. Since so many know this story, Matthew and I were able to have a conversation about the book’s history and Dahl’s legacy, and about how art and our views of it change over time.

Matthew Stern is an award-winning public speaker and writer with over 40 years of professional experience. His works include the novels Amiga and The Remainders, as well as the best-selling public speaking book Mastering Table Topics. A lifelong resident of Southern California, he grew up in Reseda, graduated from California State University, Northridge, and now lives in Lake Forest. When he’s not rooting for the Dodgers and Rams, he enjoys exercising and spending time with his wife, adult children, and granddaughter. You can find him on social media platforms @MASwriter

Our drink this week is a Greek Cheek Beer, a favorite of Matthew’s from his home in California, and a reference to the gum-smacking habits of Violet Beauregaard. If you are in California definite check it out. For those of us outside of the Golden State, Sam Adams Chocolate Bock would have be a great pairing for this book.

In this Episode

Roald Dahl Revision Controversy
Wonka vs Wonka The problem with overly likable characters - Matthew Stern

This week’s book is Libby Lost & Found, by Stephanie Booth, about Libby Weeks, the reclusive author of the hit fantasy series “The Falling Children”, who faces a crisis when she is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's and struggles to complete her overdue manuscript. In desperation, she enlists the help of eleven-year-old superfan Peanut Bixton, who knows the series inside and out but has her own hidden troubles. As Libby grapples with her diagnosis, Peanut and her family work to protect and help her save herself and the series.

My guest this week is Kendall Concini-Moore. Kendall‘s greatest adventure began not on the page, but at home, as a mother. Her book Mom’s Cloud and the Beach Adventure was inspired by her own family and her struggles with depression, or her “cloud.” With empathy and playful hearts, her family encourages her to rest, reminding her that it’s okay to not be okay, because clouds don’t last forever. Complete with discussion questions and resources, this picture book gives children ages 4-8 the language to understand when someone they love is struggling, while celebrating that sometimes, simply being together is the most caring thing. You can find out more about her and her book on her website, https://cloudydaychronicles.org/, through her Substack where she shares resources: cloudydaychronicles.substack.com/ and on social media @cloudydaychronicles.

Kendall curated our drink this week: A Black Manhattan with a coffee twist, listen to the episode to learn how this was inspired by the book and what author Stephanie Booth thought Libby’s favorite drink would be!

Ingredients
2 oz rye whiskey (or bourbon if you want it softer)
1 oz Amaro
¼ oz coffee liqueur (just a pinch—enough to deepen, not dominate)
2-3 dashes orange bitters (optional but rounds it out)
Luxardo cherry or orange twist for garnish

Directions
Add rye (or bourbon), amaro, coffee liqueur, and bitters to a mixing glass.
Fill with ice and stir vigorously for 20–30 seconds until well chilled and slightly diluted.
Strain into a chilled coupe (for up) or an old-fashioned glass over a large ice cube (for on the rocks).
Garnish with a Luxardo cherry or a long orange twist.

In this episode
Chuck Palahniuk
Laurie Notaro
Patrick Roth
Brandon Sanderson
Every Heart a Doorway Episode
Tweetsie Railroad
Drop Dead Generous
A Doubters Almanac Episode