The Jiffy Rediscovers Reading With Tom Grattan & Maureen Rodgers

Send us a text

This week brought the first official day of spring – but as a confusing and misplaced winter storm batters my windows, I’m bringing you one last cozy episode before we fold up the Cozy Map for good.

In this episode, I visit one of my favorite places on earth: Rodgers Book Barn in Hillsdale, NY. I chat with legendary owner Maureen Rodgers, who’s been stocking her shelves with used books since the 1960s, about how she finds books, what makes a book cozy, and how the book barn industry has changed over the decades.

Then, I drive to Kinderhook to visit my friend Tom Grattan, esteemed novelist and experienced reader. I snoop around his book shelves a bit, and Tom gives us three of his top reading recommendations for 2025 so far – with one bonus pick saved just for The Jiffy newsletter subscribers at the J'Fay Supreme level.

Guests:

• Maureen Rodgers – Owner of Rodgers Book Barn

• Tom Grattan – Author of "The Recent East" and "In Tongues"

Books Recommended by Tom:

1. "Mothers and Sons," by Adam Haslett
2. "Ghost Roots," by Pemi Aguda
3. "Lives of the Saints," by Nancy Lemann
4. Mysterious Book by Important Author

Extras:

• Get Maureen’s Cozy Reading Tips + Tom’s Bonus Book Pick – only at the J'Fay Supreme level.
• Upgrade for $5/month or $50/year: https://thejiffy.beehiiv.com/upgrade

Follow Tom on Instagram: @tomgrattan

Follow the Book Barn on Instagram: @rodgersbookbarn

Follow me: @jamescave

More Jiffy: thejiffy.xyz

Support the show

"The Jiffy Audio Newsletter Podcast" is an audio documentary zine – the official podcast of The Jiffy – exploring the odd histories, cozy mysteries, and surprising characters of upstate New York. Each episode is a small adventure, told with curiosity, humor, and the occasional text message from a stranger.

New episodes drop every other week. Subscribe, share, and take the scenic route with us.

Follow James on Instagram: @jamescave

Subscribe to the newsletter here.