First Edition

Peter Mendelsund is a writer, book designer, musician, novelist, and painter. And he has two books coming out within just a couple of weeks of each other: Exhibitionist and Weepers. We talk about both in deep, wide-ranging conversation. This is a good one. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell's on July 9th, 2025 This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kate McKean joins Jeff to talk about her new book, Write Through It: An Insider's Guide to Publishing and the Creative Life. Kate is a literary agent at the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency and writes the extremely interesting and popular Agents + Books newsletter. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: The Two Kinds of Book Auctions The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell's on July 9th, 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I am working on a permanent title for this episode format, where I just run through a bunch of books I am interested in that are coming out in the current month. You get the idea. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Tailored Book Recommendations has the chops to find the right read for your loved one this Father's Day. Gift TBR today starting at just $18! Discussed in this episode: The Book Riot Podcast The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell's on July 9th, 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

June new releases are hopping. Jeff talks to Susan Choi about her new novel, Flashlight. Then, Damon Young comes on to talk about his new anthology, That's How They Get You: An Unruly Anthology of Black Humor. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Tailored Book Recommendations has the chops to find the right read for your loved one this Father's Day. Gift TBR today starting at just $18! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: The Book Riot Podcast The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell's on July 9th, 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gretchen Rubin returns to the show to talk about wisdom, aphorisms, and her new book, The Secrets of Adulthood. PLUS: a silent reading challenge coming in June that anyone can do. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Email jeff at firstedition (at) bookriot (dot).com. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: The Secrets of Adulthood by Gretchen Rubin Read 25 Day Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff goes over a couple dozen May new releases that he definitely might consider thinking about reading. Then, Book.io co-founder and CEO Joshua Stone comes on to talk about what the blockchain could offer the world of books and reading. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Email jeff at firstedition (at) bookriot (dot).com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff talks to Jane Friedman about the new edition of her book, The Business of Being a Writer. She has been writing about the publishing industry for years (and Jeff has been reading her work for years as well), and this book is a guide for writers who don't just want to write, they want to try to make a living. It's a tremendous resource for early-career writers especially, but also has application and relevance for later-stage writers, creatives of all kinds, and people who are interested in how publishing works. The Business of Being a Writer (Second Edition) is out now. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Links and Resources: The Spring 2025 First Edition Giveaway The Business of Being a Writer by Jane Friedman Jane's website And please do email me with feedback here: firstedition (at) bookriot (dot)com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff is joined by one of his favorite writers, Marie-Helene Bertino, and the talk about all five of her books in order, including her new short story collection, Exit Zero. Marie-Helene Bertino's Beautyland was named a best book of 2024 by Times, Esquire, Lit Hub and many others. Jeff included it on his list of the most recommendable books of the century so far. Her new book, Exit Zero, is available now. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff talks to Gabe Henry about his new book, Enough is Enuf: Our Failed Attempts to Make English Easier to Spell. For centuries, a series of thinkers, writers, politicians, and bankers have been advocating to make English easier to spell. It hasn't really worked. But the effort is fascinating. Enough is Enuf is available now wherever books are sold. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff talks to Jon Hickey about his debut novel, Big Chief. Jon Hickey earned his MFA at Cornell University and was a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. He has received scholarships from the Bread Loaf Writers Conference and the Sewanee Writers Conference, and he is an enrolled member of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians. His short fiction has appeared in Massachusetts Review, Gulf Coast Online, Virginia Quarterly Review, Meridian, and The Madison Review. Jon lives in San Francisco with his wife and two sons. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff talks to the great Katie Kitamura about her new novel, Audition (it is very, very good). Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff talks about 21 books coming out this month that caught his eye. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Discussed in this episode: I Have a Capital Suggestion for a New Pronoun by John McWhorter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff talks to Emma Pattee about her debut novel, Tilt. They talk earthquakes, IKEA, the consequences of writing place precisely, and much more. This book is a winner, folks. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff is joined by Jack Lohmann, author of the new book White Light: The Elemental Role of Phosphorus-in Our Cells, in Our Food, and in Our World. Plus, his editor at Pantheon, Todd Portnowitz joins the conversation to talk about positioning, crafting, and otherwise publishing non-fiction like this. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff talks to Stephen Graham Jones about his reading life. Stephen Graham Jones is the NYT bestselling author of thirty-five or so novels and collections, and there are some novellas and comic books in there as well. Most recent are Earthdivers and I Was a Teenage Slasher. His new book, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, is out now. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alissa Wilkinson joins Jeff to talk about her new book, We Tell Ourselves Stories: Joan Didion and the American Dream Machine. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: We Tell Ourselves Stories: Joan Didion and the American Dream Machine by Alissa Wilkinson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff talks to Amal El-Mohtar about This is How You Lose the Time War getting one of greatest bookish gifts ever bestowed by the internet before talking about her new book, The River Has Roots. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell's on March 13th This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scaachi Koul joins Jeff to talk about her new book, Sucker Punch with a new little format for First Edition called "10 Notecards With..." Jeff has picked out 10 things from the new book — words, ideas, stories, etc. — written them on notecards, and then has Saachi pick them at random (at least at the start order). Turned out to be a lot of fun, so expect to hear more of these. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in This Episode: The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell's on March 13th Sucker Punch by Scaachi Koul One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter by Scaachi Koul Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Liberty Hardy joins Jeff to talk about hosting 500 episodes of All The Books! and a host of other reading-related topics. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Discussed in this episode: All The Books! Liberty Hardy on Instagram Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rebecca Romney joins Jeff to talk about her new book, Jane Austen's Bookshelf. They talk about personal book collecting, rediscovering literary history for yourself, a few of the writers Austen admired, and more. Jane Austen's Bookshelf is out now. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: Jane Austen's Bookshelf by Rebecca Romney Rebecca Romney on Instagram The Honey & Wax Book Collecting Contest Type Punch Matrix (Romney's Rare Book Company) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah Chihaya joins Jeff to talk about her new memoir, Bibliophobia. They talk life-ruining books, the enormous weight of all the books that are out there and how we cannot read them all, and other less-talked about parts of the reading life. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: Bibliophobia by Sarah Chihaya Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff talks to Professor Shigehiro Oishi about his new book, Life in Three Dimensions: How Curiosity, Exploration, and Experience Make a Fuller, Better Life. Books and reading play a central role in the book, both as examples but also as avenues towards living a psychologically rich life. I really enjoyed this book and this conversation. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Warner joins Jeff to talk about his new book, More Than Words: How to Think About Writing in the Age of AI. We talk about the teaching of writing, what we might want to save for humans, what kinds of things LLMs expose about how we think about writing, and what the present and future of living with AI could be. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: More Than Words by John Warner The Biblioracle Recommends Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bookshop.org Founder Andy Hunter joins Jeff to talk about Bookshop now offering ebooks. Then, Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, comes on to talk about her bookish reading challenge: read for 25 in '25. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: Bookshop.org Now Sells Ebooks Gretchen Rubin's 25 in '25 Challenge Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff uses Susie Dumond's piece for Book Riot about 2025 predictions as a framework for taking stock of where we are and what the year may hold for publishing and reading. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: Book Trend Predictions for 2025 Bed and Break-Up by Susie Dumond Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff talks to Nnedi Okorafor about her life as a reader. Her new book, Death of the Author, is out now. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff is joined by Adam Vitcavage of Debutiful to talk about covering debuts, new authors, and all that entails. Discussed in this episode: Debutiful (website) Debutiful (podcast) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This was my favorite 2024 episode of First Edition, so I thought I'd repost it for you this holiday week. Join me to explore the reading life of U.S. National Poet Laureate Ada Limón. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World, edited by Ada Limón In Praise of Mystery by Ada Limón, illustrated by Peter Sis. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Book Riot's Sharifah Williams joins Jeff to talk about her piece, "The Books Won't Save Us." Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Discussed in this episode: The Books Won't Save Us by Sharifah Williams Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A couple of segments here ported over from The Book Riot Podcast. First, Brooke Nagler tells us what it's like to break into the world of literary agenting. Then, Franklin Leonard and Randy Winston talk about their project, The Black List. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Discussed in this episode: The Book Group The Black List Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Book Riot editor Danika Ellis joins Jeff to talk about how she tracks bestsellers for Book Riot, how growing up online was sort of great, and what we see (or don't) when we read. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Discussed in this episode: The Best-Selling Books of the Week The Most Read Books on Goodreads This Week Books Aren't Mental Movies: You're Missing the Best Part of Reading I'm Glad I Grew Up Online Aphantasia Self-Test Everything2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An audio version of a post I wrote for Book Riot recently, The 10 Most Interesting Questions in the World of Books and Reading. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode is from our old podcast series Annotated, and it seemed fitting to bring it out of the archive this election season. In this episode: A woman with no prior political experience decides to run for city commission in her small college town. So she goes to the library and checks out a book called How to Win a Local Election. And she wins. This is her story and the story of the book that helped her win. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While I am out on vacation, I am bringing something out from the vault. I have done a couple of "Reading Life" episodes here on First Edition with Adam Limon and James McBride, and that format got started as its own, sadly ended, podcast series: Reading Lives. While I was doing that show, I got a bunch of requests for my own episode, which I tried recording as a solo act. So here is that episode, about my own life as a reader. Back with new episodes starting at the end of August. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff is joined by Brenna Connor, Director & Industry Analyst for U.S. books sales for Circana. She has the goods: what is selling, what is trending, how retailers are doing, and much more. I learned a TON, and I bet you will too. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of First Edition, the reading life of U.S. National Poet Laureate Ada Limón. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World, edited by Ada Limón In Praise of Mystery by Ada Limón, illustrated by Peter Sis. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff O'Neal talks with Ayana Mathis about her latest book, The Unsettled. The Unsettled was a 2023 New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and a Best Book of the Year selection by The New Yorker, The Washington Post, Oprah Daily, and others. The Unsettled is now available in paperback. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Discussed in this episode: The Unsettled by Ayana Mathis Email in with questions, comments, and ideas: firstedition@bookriot.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Jeff talks with Claire Messud about her new novel, This Strange, Eventful History. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Jeff talks with Rachel Khong about her new novel, Real Americans. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

40 years ago, Sandra Cisneros published what would become a contemporary classic: The House on Mango Street. To mark the occasion, Everyman's Library has released a new edition. The introduction to that edition was written by Professor John Philip Santos, a fellow writer and long-time friend of Cisneros. He joins me on this episode to talk about the origin, meaning, and legacy of this modern masterpiece. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: The House on Mango Street (Everyman's Library) by Sandra Cisneros, introduction by John Philip Santos Places Left Unfinished at the Time of Creation by John Philip Santos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Xochitl Gonzalez, author of Anita de Monte Laughs Last, joins Jeff to debut two new First Edition segments: Anatomy of a Scene and Hardest/Easiest. In the first segment, they each pick a scene to dissect from Anita de Monte Laughs Last. In the second, Gonzalez talks about what part of the book was the easiest to write....and which was the hardest. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Want to make your book club the best club? Sign up for our In the Club newsletter. In the Club will deliver recommendations for the best books to discuss in your book clubs. From buzzy new releases to brilliant throwbacks, the books highlighted in this newsletter will drive your book club discussions. We'll also share some book club-friendly recipes and interesting bookish updates from all over. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features. In other words, we'll keep you well-met, well-read, and well-fed. Sign up today! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: Anita de Monte Laughs Last The First Edition Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Snell of sixcolors.com, and ereader connoisseur, joins Jeff to talk about the state of ereaders, what makes a good ereader, a couple of interesting, oddball new devices, and more. Check out sixcolors.com and The Incomparable. Want to make your book club the best club? Sign up for our In the Club newsletter. In the Club will deliver recommendations for the best books to discuss in your book clubs. From buzzy new releases to brilliant throwbacks, the books highlighted in this newsletter will drive your book club discussions. We'll also share some book club-friendly recipes and interesting bookish updates from all over. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features. In other words, we'll keep you well-met, well-read, and well-fed. Sign up today! Discussed in this episode: Two e-readers that made me reconsider why I use e-readers by Jason Snell Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices