Episode 83 – Handbook for Mortals
The Worst Bestsellers
Worst Bestsellers
4.5 • 609 Ratings
🗓️ 9 October 2017
⏱️ 81 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Kelly Jensen (Book Riot editor, co-host of Book Riot’s Hey YA podcast, & editor of Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World) joined us for the 23-hour bestseller, Handbook for Mortals by Lani Sarem. We’re so glad that CSI: YA solved this case and brought the book off the bestseller list, because, wow, it is not good. Join us for a story about a girl who’s pretty, but not, like, too pretty? But pretty enough that her magick (with a k) brings all the boys to the yard, including Wayne Newton and Carrot Top. For real: Carrot Top is in the yard. Enjoy!
Readers advisory: Here.
Special note: If you’re reading this the day it comes out, 10/9/17, it’s the last day to enter our raffle to benefit hurricane relief for Puerto Rico! (If you’re reading this in the future: greetings. Sorry you missed our raffle.)
Footnotes: Did This Book Buy Its Way Onto The New York Times Bestseller List?
The Story of Lani Sarem & Her Handbook for Mortals Is Peak White Entitlement
The Making (and Unmaking) of a 23-Hour New York Times Best Seller
Author Removed From New York Times Best-Seller List Fires Back at Critics
The Story Of “My Immortal” Is More Wild And Heartbreaking Than You Imagined
My Immortal memoir canceled: Author says she’s been ‘branded a liar’
Candy pairing: Kait says Raven’s Revenge, Kelly says Fun Dip, Renata says a stolen maraschino cherry.
Coming up next: Lizzie Borden by Elizabeth Engstrom.
* Worst Bestsellers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
(But no pressure, we’re also happy if you get these items from your local library or independent bookstore.)
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Hello and welcome to worst bestsellers, where we read about magic with a K so you don't have to. |
| 0:18.4 | I'm Renata. |
| 0:19.5 | And I'm Kate. |
| 0:20.6 | And for this episode, we read Handbook for Mortals by Lanny Serum. |
| 0:25.5 | Joining us to discuss this 23-hour New York Times bestseller is |
| 0:30.1 | Feminist and Internet Badass Kelly Jensen, |
| 0:33.8 | Editor for Book Riot, and Editor of the YAA anthology here we are feminism for the real world |
| 0:39.7 | which you should totally buy hi Kelly everybody hi by the way I bought it |
| 0:46.3 | did you buy two copies no okay well that's what you can do next time. |
| 0:54.3 | Yeah, maybe, you know, birthdays are always happening. |
| 0:57.1 | People are always having gift occasions. |
| 0:59.9 | And there's always kids being born. |
| 1:01.6 | It's true. |
| 1:02.8 | Great baby book. |
| 1:05.3 | Babies love feminism. |
| 1:08.3 | Exactly. Get them started early. |
| 1:10.2 | Yes. |
| 1:11.2 | And I mean, if they eat the book, at least they're like literally ingesting feminism. |
| 1:15.2 | Yes. It's a great way to start. |
| 1:17.5 | Absorbing it into their bodies. |
| 1:21.1 | Yes. |
| 1:22.6 | And I kind of wish that someone had force-fed feminism to Lanny Sarum. |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Worst Bestsellers, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Worst Bestsellers and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.