NPR's Book of the Day

Follow NPR's Book of the Day
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

In need of a good read? Or just want to keep up with the books everyone's talking about? NPR's Book of the Day gives you today's very best writing in a snackable, skimmable, pocket-sized podcast. Whether you're looking to engage with the big questions of our times – or temporarily escape from them – we've got an author who will speak to you, all genres, mood and writing styles included. Catch today's great books in 15 minutes or less.

NPR

Donate to NPR's Book of the Day


    • Oct 22, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 10m AVG DURATION
    • 1,077 EPISODES

    Ivy Insights

    The NPR's Book of the Day podcast is a must-listen for book lovers in 2022. As an avid reader, I have found this podcast to be a valuable resource for discovering new books to add to my reading list. The format of the show allows me to stay updated on the latest news and stories about books and authors in just a few minutes a day. Previously, I would find myself searching the NPR website for such content, but now everything is conveniently available in one place.

    One of the best aspects of The NPR's Book of the Day podcast is its ability to provide a comprehensive overview of various books and authors. Each episode covers different genres, giving listeners exposure to a wide range of literature. The hosts delve into the background and inspiration behind each book, offering insights that pique my interest and make me want to explore these works further. Additionally, they often include interviews with authors, which adds a personal touch and allows listeners to gain deeper understanding of their writing process.

    Another strong point of this podcast is its concise format. With limited time on my hands, I appreciate that episodes are brief yet packed with valuable information. In just a few minutes, I can catch up on any stories or interviews I might have missed without dedicating too much time out of my busy schedule. This makes it perfect for those who want to stay informed but may not have hours to spare listening to longer programs.

    However, one potential downside I have found is that sometimes episodes can feel rushed due to their brevity. While I appreciate the efficiencysyndicate Searching for Meaning: Overcoming Addiction through Faith - (3)

    In conclusion, The NPR's Book of the Day podcast has proven itself to be an exceptional resource for book enthusiasts like myself. By condensing stories and interviews about books into short episodes, it allows me to stay up-to-date on literature while also accommodating my busy schedule. The variety of genres covered and the insights provided by the hosts make this podcast a valuable tool for discovering new books to read. Whether you are a hardcore bookworm or simply interested in literature, this podcast is definitely worth adding to your playlist.



    More podcasts from NPR

    Search for episodes from NPR's Book of the Day with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from NPR's Book of the Day

    A new James Baldwin biography asks how the writer's lovers might've shaped him

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 22, 2025 7:46


    The scholar Nicholas Boggs has a new perspective on James Baldwin. The new biography Baldwin: A Love Story considers how the writer and Civil Rights leader's lovers might've shaped him. In today's conversation with NPR's Michel Martin, Boggs argues Baldwin provided a dynamic model for how we relate to other people – both in platonic and romantic relationships.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir recounts abuse by Epstein, Maxwell and others

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2025 7:54


    Today's episode centers an important voice in the still-unfolding story of Jeffrey Epstein. Virginia Roberts Giuffre survived abuse at the hands of Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, and a number of powerful men. Giuffre died by suicide earlier this year. But before her death, she wrote a memoir called Nobody's Girl. In today's interview with NPR's Leila Fadel, Giuffre's collaborator on the project, Amy Wallace, and her brother, Sky Roberts, share what it was like for Giuffre to write about what she endured.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    Ken Liu's latest novel ‘All That We See or Seem' is speculative fiction about AI

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2025 8:45


    Ken Liu is a big name in science fiction. His latest novel All That We See or Seem takes place in a world that's not too different from ours. But in the book, AI is more embedded in day-to-day life and one character uses it to guide collective dream experiences. In today's episode, Liu speaks with NPR's Andrew Limbong about the novel's hacker protagonist, dreams as knowledge, and how human patterns influence technology.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    Books We've Loved: Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, a blueprint to the modern romance

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2025 35:35


    This year, readers around the world are celebrating Jane Austen's 250th birthday. On the inaugural episode of Books We've Loved, hosts Andrew Limbong and B.A. Parker are joined by Pop Culture Happy Hour's Linda Holmes to discuss Austen's seminal novel Pride & Prejudice. The trio weighs in on how the romance genre continues to reference the book's “enemies to lovers” story – and why the tale's leads Lizzie Bennet and Mr. Darcy still make us and laugh and swoon even today.  Special guest romance novelist, Casey McQuiston also drops by to share how Austen's legacy provides inspiration for their own work. To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    Cookbooks 'House of Nanking' and 'Boustany' honor rich family legacies through food

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2025 19:57


    Today's episode features two new cookbooks that solidify family legacies through food. First, NPR's Ailsa Chang joins Peter and Kathy Fang for a meal at House of Nanking in San Francisco. There, they discuss the father-daughter duo's new cookbook named after the famed family restaurant. Then, Sami Tamimi's cookbook Boustany celebrates vegetables in Palestinian cooking. In today's episode, the chef and author speaks with Here & Now's Robin Young about recipes from the book, which now serve as a record of what's been lost during starvation and war in Gaza.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    'I Am You' fictionalizes the story of a Dutch Golden Age painter and her maid

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2025 11:59


    Dutch Golden Age painter Maria van Oosterwijck and her assistant, Gerta Pieters, lived side by side in 17th century Amsterdam, Pieters having started out as van Oosterwijck's maid. Victoria Redel's new historical novel I Am You fictionalizes their story, exploring their personal and working relationships. In today's episode, Redel tells Here & Now's Robin Young about expanding on what we know about the women – and whether it's plausible they were lovers.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    'The Persian' is a spy thriller written by former CIA analyst David McCloskey

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2025 9:07


    David McCloskey keeps writing spy thrillers – and the plots keep coming true. In the opening of his latest novel The Persian, Israel has just launched a surprise attack on Iran. But the author says he had already finished writing by the time conflict broke out between the two nations earlier this year. In today's episode, McCloskey speaks with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly about working at the intersection of reality and fiction, and having his work reviewed by the CIA.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    In her new memoir, Jeannie Vanasco gets 'A Silent Treatment' from her mom

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2025 9:38


    Jeannie Vanasco's memoir A Silent Treatment is about the period her mother spent living in the basement apartment of Vanasco's home. Sometimes, Vanasco's mother would stop communicating altogether. The silent treatment could last a few days – but once, it lasted six months. In today's episode, the author speaks with NPR's Scott Simon about how she came to understand her mother's retreat.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    'Pick a Color' is a novel that takes place over a single day at a nail salon

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2025 8:50


    Ning is the manager of a nail salon where all of the workers wear a nametag with the same name – Susan. Pick A Color takes place over a single day at the salon and it's the first novel by Souvankham Thammavongsa. In today's episode, the poet and short story writer speaks with NPR's Scott Simon about Ning's background as a prizefighter, what Thammavongsa has observed as a salon customer, and the author's distinction between knowledge and intelligence.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    Introducing: Books We've Loved

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2025 2:10


    Welcome to Books We've Loved, a new limited series from Book of The Day. Every episode, we will dig into some of our favorite books, to make the case for picking up a book from the past. Hosted by Book of the Day's Andrew Limbong and Code Switch's B.A. Parker, they will be your guides through these timeless stories. Bringing on NPR voices and book nerds far and wide, they will discuss titles by authors like Anthony Bourdain, James Baldwin, and Jane Austen, and asking their guests questions like — why can't they get this book out of their head? How did this book shift a paradigm, shake the culture, or change their life? And, most importantly, why should you read it now? To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    These new mystery novels are 'whodunits' that might as well be called 'whydunits'

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2025 17:34


    Today's episode features two mystery novels with special twists. First, The Killer Question is a story told via emails, WhatsApp messages and texts. When a new trivia team becomes suspiciously successful, egos are hurt and a body is found in the river. In today's episode, author Janice Hallett joins NPR's Scott Simon for a conversation about the mystery that unfolds. Then, Kill Your Darlings is a novel written in reverse: The murderer is revealed in the first chapter. In today's episode, author Peter Swanson talks with NPR's Mary Louise Kelly about the marriage at the center of the story.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    In 'Dream School,' Jeff Selingo wants parents to rethink what makes a ‘good' college

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 9, 2025 7:45


    Over the past 20 years, the number of college applications filed to top schools has exploded. And while many American colleges accept most applicants, some parents and students hold tightly to the idea that prestige matters. In his new book Dream School: Finding the College That's Right For You, journalist and higher education expert Jeff Selingo argues elite schools aren't always the best. In today's episode, Selingo speaks with NPR's Michel Martin about why he wants to give parents permission to think more broadly about higher education. To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    For her latest novel, Patricia Lockwood says she wanted to write about confusion

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 8, 2025 8:53


    In Patricia Lockwood's latest novel, the protagonist is an author named Patricia. Will There Ever Be Another You documents a four-year period of disorientation, disassociation and confusion after Patricia becomes severely ill. The story is based on Lockwood's own experience with brain fog and other symptoms after becoming sick with Covid-19 in March 2020. In today's episode, the real-life author talks with NPR's Ari Shapiro about embodying confusion as she wrote about it.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    Mariana Enriquez's new book connects her interest in cemeteries with Argentina's past

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2025 8:30


    Cemeteries are not everyone's idea of fun, but they're a source of fascination for author Mariana Enriquez. Her new nonfiction book Somebody Is Walking on Your Grave is a collection of personal short stories she gathered while traveling to final resting places across four continents. In today's episode, the author joins NPR's Ayesha Rascoe for a conversation about her past as a goth, the connection between graves and Argentina's dictatorship, and where Enriquez would like to be buried.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    'For the Sun After Long Nights' is a history of Iran's Woman, Life, Freedom Movement

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 6, 2025 11:29


    Three years ago, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman named Mahsa Jina Amini was fatally beaten by Iran's morality police. She'd been arrested for not following the Islamic Republic's dress code. Her death sparked the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement, one of the largest uprisings in Iran in decades. Journalists Fatemeh Jamalpour and Nilo Tabrizy tell this story in their new book For the Sun After Long Nights: The Story of Iran's Women-Led Uprising. In today's episode, Jamalpour speaks with Here & Now's Jane Clayson about the movement and Iran's future.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    Two new history books use the past to explain what's important now

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 3, 2025 18:57


    Two new history books make a strong case for why learning about the past is critical to understanding the world today. First, History Matters is a posthumous collection of writings by American historian David McCullough. In today's episode, co-editor Dorie McCullough Lawson and historian Jon Meacham tell NPR's Scott Simon about McCullough's endless curiosity. Then, in Midnight on the Potomac, Scott Ellsworth explores little-known corners of Civil War history. In today's episode, he speaks with Here & Now's Sarah McCammon about long-held myths about the period.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    'F*** Approval, You Don't Need It!' makes the case against ‘people pleasers'

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2025 10:27


    In her new book, F*** Approval, You Don't Need It!, therapist Lizzie Moult says people who seek the approval of others are doing a great disservice to themselves — and others too. In a conversation with Here & Now host Peter O'Dowd, Moult explains why being a “people pleaser” can be counterproductive. To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    Angela Flournoy's 'The Wilderness' focuses on a Black, female ‘chosen family'

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2025 9:05


    The group of friends at the center of Angela Flournoy's new novel, The Wilderness, are figuring out how to navigate life as they enter middle age. NPR's Juana Summers spoke with the author about the evolving journey of her characters and what their ups and downs say about the dynamics of long-term friendships.   To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    Former senator Joe Manchin makes the case for the middle in the memoir 'Dead Center'

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2025 7:47


    Former West Virginia senator Joseph Manchin III was a gadfly in the ear of his own Democratic party for many years, and a sometime Republican ally. Manchin's new memoir, Dead Center: In Defense of Common Sense, is packed with stories about his relationships with the likes of President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden. In this interview with NPR's Michel Martin, Manchin explains why this country needs an “American independent party."To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    Ian McEwan's latest novel ‘What We Can Know' is science fiction without the science

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2025 9:56


    At 77, the Booker Prize-winning British novelist Ian McEwan shows no signs of slowing down. His new novel, What We Can Know, is set in Great Britain in the 22nd century – a country now partly underwater as a result of global warming. In today's episode, McEwan speaks with NPR's Scott Simon about the book's plot – it tells of a search for a lost poem that was written in our own times – and notes that he is less interested in the future of science than that of the humanities, love and daily life.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    ‘Peacemaker' and ‘Tomorrow Is Yesterday' are personal histories of diplomacy

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 26, 2025 19:43


    Two new books dive into the details of diplomacy. First, in the 1960s U Thant became the first non-Western secretary-general of the United Nations. Now his grandson, historian Thant Myint-U, has written Peacemaker, a new biography of the diplomat. In today's episode, Thant speaks with NPR's Michele Keleman about his grandfather's journey. Then, Hussein Agha and Robert Malley have been a part of negotiations to end the conflict between Israel and Palestine. In today's episode, they speak with NPR's Scott Simon about their book Tomorrow Is Yesterday, a history of that failed peace process.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    Ken Jaworowski's new crime novel ‘What About the Bodies' has a surprising tender side

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2025 7:57


    Ken Jaworowski is out with a new crime novel with a surprising tender side. What About the Bodies is set in a fictional town past its glory days with a shuttered steel plant, closed coal mines, and a community that everyone talks about leaving. In today's episode, the New York Times editor and author speaks with NPR's Ayesha Rascoe about the three characters who converge in his story, the failed novels that predated this project, and why Jaworowski says he's a better editor than writer.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    ‘Dark Renaissance' historian on how Christopher Marlowe paved the way for Shakespeare

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 24, 2025 8:50


    The Elizabethan playwright Christopher Marlowe is known as Shakespeare's greatest rival. But in his new book Dark Renaissance, historian Stephen Greenblatt makes the case that Marlowe paved the way for Shakespeare. In today's episode, Greenblatt joins NPR's Ari Shapiro for a conversation about what made Marlowe a “lost soul,” how the playwright navigated a world of intense censorship, and evidence that points to his role as a spy.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    ‘Beyond Fast' chronicles one coach's unlikely revolution in high school cross-country

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2025 8:11


    When Sean Brosnan started coaching the Newbury Park High School cross-country team, the school hadn't qualified for a state championship in 25 years. But within just three years, they were state champions. Now, the coach has written a memoir with Chris Lear and Andrew Greif called Beyond Fast: How A Renegade Coach And His Unlikely High School Team Revolutionized Distance Running. In today's episode, he talks with NPR's Scott Simon about what it meant to ask his runners for total commitment.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    In his new novel ‘The Secret of Secrets,' Dan Brown takes on human consciousness

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 22, 2025 6:03


    Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons, is out with his sixth book starring fictional Harvard professor Robert Langdon. In The Secret of Secrets, Langdon is dragged out of his comfort zone by a noetic scientist and finds reality is much stranger than he once imagined. In today's episode, Brown joins NPR's Scott Detrow for a conversation about how the author's perspective on human consciousness shifted over the course of writing his latest novel.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    ‘Long Way Down' and ‘The Hate U Give' are modern classics about gun violence

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2025 15:27


    The final episode in our Back to School series focuses on two contemporary books that tell stories about gun violence. First, Jason Reynolds' 2017 novel in verse Long Way Down centers on a moment of decision that occurs when a teenage boy is on his way to avenge his brother. In today's episode, Reynolds speaks with NPR's David Greene about avoiding one-dimensional characters and promoting literacy. Then, Angie Thomas' 2017 debut The Hate U Give is about a girl who attends school in a neighborhood that's very different from where she lives. In an interview with NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro, Thomas discusses codeswitching and combatting the “ghetto girl” stereotype.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    What Toni Morrison learned from revisiting five of her most-read novels

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2025 9:32


    Arguably, no high school reading list is complete without one of Toni Morrison's books. In today's episode, we look back at a 2004 conversation between the author and NPR's Renee Montagne, who visited Morrison to talk about a new paperback re-release of five of her novels. The interview focuses on Morrison's perspective on hauntings, apparitions and ghosts, including the way Morrison's late father helped her complete Song of Solomon.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    Sandra Cisneros' ‘The House on Mango Street' was born from a feeling of displacement

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2025 7:40


    Sandra Cisneros' The House on Mango Street is a series of vignettes drawn from the experiences of a Mexican-American girl living in Chicago. Since its publication in 1983, it's become required reading for high school students across the country. In today's Back to School episode, we revisit a 2009 conversation between the author and NPR's Renee Montagne, which recognized the book's 25th anniversary.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    In her translation of ‘The Odyssey,' Emily Wilson aimed for ‘a crystalline clarity'

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2025 9:37


    In 2017, Emily Wilson became the first woman to translate Homer's The Odyssey into English – more than three millennia after the epic's inception. In the second installment of our Back to School series, Wilson talks with NPR's Lauren Frayer about how she approached aspects of her translation, including social hierarchies and Homeric epithets.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    Jhumpa Lahiri says the phrase ‘Interpreter of Maladies' came to her in grad school

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 15, 2025 11:08


    It's Back to School week at NPR's Book of the Day, which means we're looking back at interviews with authors who may have shown up on your high school syllabus. First, Jhumpa Lahiri debuted her short story collection Interpreter of Maladies in 1999. In the title story, an American family visits India and their guide develops an infatuation with the wife. In today's episode, Lahiri speaks with NPR's Liane Hansen about the inspiration behind the book's title, the author's relationship with speaking Bengali, and Lahiri's experience writing a story from a male perspective.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    ‘2024' and ‘From the Clinics to the Capitol' dissect opposing political movements

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2025 18:34


    Today's episode features two books that dissect very different case studies in politics: Kamala Harris' presidential campaign and the anti-abortion movement. First, in July 2024, Harris' presidential campaign launched like a rocket – but it seemed to stall shortly after. 2024 goes behind the scenes of the Harris team as they leapt into the race months before the election. In today's episode, NPR's Scott Detrow speaks with two of the book's authors, Tyler Pager and Isaac Arnsdorf, about how Harris' inner circle saw crucial campaign moments. Then, Carol Mason's new book From the Clinics to the Capitol breaks down the political strategy of the anti-abortion movement. In today's episode, she speaks with NPR's Sarah McCammon about ties between the movement and white nationalism.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    In Meg Medina's new young adult novel, a 13-year-old girl becomes a sea ghost

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2025 8:00


    Meg Medina's new young adult novel begins with a fall: Graciela, a 13-year-old-girl, is blown off a cliff and sucked into the bottom of the sea. A century later, she awakens and her afterlife begins. Most of the characters in Graciela in the Abyss are ghosts and spirits, but Medina says the story is really about life. In today's episode, she joins NPR's Scott Simon for a conversation that touches on the author's “graveyard” of ideas, death as a constant, and her role as the 2023-2024 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    ‘Misbehaving at the Crossroads' is a lesson in the complexity of reconciliation

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 10, 2025 8:56


    In her first nonfiction book Misbehaving at the Crossroads, Honoree Fanonne Jeffers weaves together history, political commentary and poetry that centers Black women. The poet and novelist's essays explore what it's like to occupy an intersectional identity while excavating the past. In today's episode, Jeffers speaks with NPR's Juana Summers about how writing this book led to a surprising reconciliation within her family.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    In Rabih Alameddine's new novel, a mother and son share a tiny Beirut apartment

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2025 9:41


    Raja teaches philosophy to high schoolers and shares an apartment with his 82-year-old mother, Zalfa. Rabih Alameddine explores their relationship – and other forms of intimacy – in his new novel The True True Story of Raja the Gullible (and His Mother). In today's episode, the author joins NPR's Scott Simon for a conversation about Raja's self-deprecation, Zalfa's relationship with another older woman, and Alameddine's mother's memory loss.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    Tamara Yajia's memoir recounts a chaotic upbringing between the U.S. and Argentina

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2025 9:06


    Tamara Yajia's memoir Cry for Me, Argentina describes a chaotic upbringing between Argentine and American cultures. A big focus of the memoir is her “insane” family, who exposed Yajia to a high level of sexual openness, including group excursions to Buenos Aires' red-light district. In today's episode, the writer speaks with NPR's Ailsa Chang about her mixed experience as a childhood performer, a formative moment involving Madonna's “Like a Prayer,” and the way humor has “kept [her] alive.”To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    ‘Papilio' and ‘Chooch Helped' are children's books brought to life by friendship

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2025 18:02


    Two children's books were brought to life by close collaborations, one between longtime friends and another that began with a chance encounter. First, Papilio follows an adventurous caterpillar through different stages of metamorphosis, each written and illustrated by three friends: Ben Clanton, Corey R. Tabor, and Andy Chou Musser. In today's episode, the authors speak with NPR's Scott Simon about how they made each section of the book their own. Then, author Andrea L. Rogers and illustrator Rebecca Kunz met by chance at the Cherokee National Holiday. Their book, Chooch Helped, went on to win the 2025 Caldecott Medal. In today's episode, they talk with NPR's Scott Simon about writing a sibling story.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    In ‘The Sunflower Boys,' a 12-year-old boy comes of age during war in Ukraine

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2025 8:42


    Artem is a 12-year-old Ukranian boy who likes to spend summer days on his grandfather's sunflower farm swimming with his younger brother, Yuri. But one night in February 2022, they hear sirens and bomb blasts – and soon, they're fleeing war. Sam Wachman's debut novel The Sunflower Boys was inspired by his ancestral ties to Ukraine and his experience volunteering with Ukrainian children. In today's episode, he joins NPR's Scott Simon for a conversation about national history, the boys he tutored, and the sense of mission behind his writing.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    ‘Friends with Words' is a book about language, from word origins to regional dialects

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2025 11:41


    For Martha Barnette, griping about grammatical pet peeves is one of the least interesting ways to talk about language. Instead, the co-host of the radio show “A Way with Words” says she'd rather think about word origins, regional dialects, slang, or that phrase your grandma used to say. Her new book Friends with Words is full of surprising facts about language. In today's episode, she talks with Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd about the “spark word” that launched her language journey, some of her favorite etymologies, and why people hate the word moist.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    Kate Riley's novel ‘Ruth' was inspired by her year in an insular religious community

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2025 9:53


    Author Kate Riley says her book Ruth was partly based on her year spent living in an insular religious community. The debut novel explores what it's like to live in a world without total access to information, despite the protagonist's intense curiosity. In today's episode, Riley speaks with NPR's Ayesha Rascoe about the Peace Church tradition, how her interior life shaped the novel, and why this might be Riley's first and last book.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    In his memoir, poet Raymond Antrobus writes of ‘deaf gain' instead of hearing loss

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 1, 2025 8:46


    When poet Raymond Antrobus was 6 years old, he learned he was deaf. His new memoir The Quiet Ear describes living in a world of in-betweenness, straddling intersections of race, class, hearing and deafness. In today's episode, Antrobus joins NPR's Mary Louise Kelly for a discussion that touches on his connection with the creative deaf community in London, his dad's DJ sets, and differences between British and American Sign Language.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    ‘Your Favorite Scary Movie' and ‘Ready for My Close-Up' are histories of iconic films

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2025 16:45


    Ashley Cullins and David Lubin are out with new books that delve into the histories of iconic films. First, in 1996, the character Ghostface was introduced to audiences in the first Scream movie. Cullins has written a history of these films–which are still being made–called Your Favorite Scary Movie. In today's episode, she joins NPR's Ayesha Rascoe to talk about the franchise. Then, this year marks the 75th anniversary of Sunset Boulevard – and Lubin has written an anatomy of the film called Ready for My Close-Up. In today's episode, he speaks with NPR's Ailsa Chang about genre-jumping, comeback narratives, and elements of the film that still feel current.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    Eighty years after Hiroshima, a new book narrates the history of the atomic bomb

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2025 10:48


    It's been 80 years since the United States detonated atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, resulting in more than 200,000 deaths. Garrett Graff's new book The Devil Reached Toward the Sky is an oral history from scientists, politicians, pilots, soldiers and survivors of these weapons. In today's episode, he speaks with NPR's Scott Simon about the development of the atomic bomb, the lived experience of those who survived the attacks, and the threat of nuclear war today.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

    Claim NPR's Book of the Day

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel