Book Riot - The Podcast

Inclusive Insider Baseball

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about Barnes & Noble's finalists for Book of the Year, a treasure trove of literary awards data, the stunning catalog of audiobo...

Pop Diva Rumspringa

06 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the sales numbers for The Woman in Me, PW's best books of the year list, the Fourth Wing adaptation announcement, and more...

Speaking of Therapy

30 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rebecca and Jenn Northington discuss Scholastic's decision to walk back the plan to silo diverse books, BookTok's takedown of a Taylor-Travis fanfic, ...

The Starving Caterpillar

23 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the celebrity memoir boomlet, Levar Burton hosting the National Book Awards, renovating Barnes & Noble, Scholastic separat...

Mental Tattoos. They're Called Memories.

16 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca discuss listener feedback about Spotify audiobooks & the mystery Nov 7th Red Tower release, several interesting book announcements, r...

Saying Goodbye to Louise Glück

13 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

American poet and 2020 Nobel Laureate Louise Glück has passed away. She was something of a house favorite here, so we thought we'd share a rebroadcas...

The Most Impossible Single Task of Literary Discernment

09 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the honoree of the 2023 Nobel Prize in literature, the National Book Award finalists, free audiobooks coming to Spotify su...

A New Thing Under the Sun

02 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about Book3 (and reactions to it), a survey about what libraries think of book bans, the U.S. suing Amazon, and more. Subscribe ...

Borrowed and Banned

29 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As an extra for you this week, we are delighted to share the first episode of Borrowed and Banned, a new podcast made by our friends at the Brooklyn P...

Homer Was On One

25 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the National Book Award for Fiction longlist, a bunch of red states leaving the American Library Association, a teacher ge...

Time For Bed

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about a bunch of recent reading, Drew Barrymore getting booted from the National Book Awards, and I guess that pretty much cover...

Nexuses of Attention

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jenn Northington joins Jeff to talk about book blurbs, book sales, and the fundamental tension of Goodreads. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple P...

Do You Think the Books are Fine?

03 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk early 2023 prize lists, Jeff's trip to the UK, recent reading, and more. Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and S...

Guest Post: Modern Indie Bookselling with Josh Cook

28 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca are out this week, wrapping up the last bits of summer vacation, so we are dropping Jeff's recent interview on First Edition with Jos...

It's All Connected

21 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kelly Jensen joins Rebecca to discuss a bummer-fest of book banning news, some truly absurd behavior in Texas, and Jay-Z's partnership with the Brookl...

The Internet's Disappointed Mom

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rebecca and Vanessa talk about a trio of AI-related publishing shenanigans, the private equity firm that bought Simon & Schuster, and a cringey moment...

Pass the Grudge Around

07 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca end up spending most of this episode talking about a new publishing company that is cutting influencers in on the action. For more in...

Ninth in the Line of Cultural Currency

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca spend a long time talking about how the sheer quantity of books published is the central issue in book publishing. Plus, they hit a c...

UPDATED: The Ladder of Pockets

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the best-selling books of 2023, Obama's summer reading list, The Covenant of Water, and much more. Follow the podcast via ...

Beneficent Ben

17 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk recent book banning developments, why book awards need to change their calendars, recent reading, and more. Follow the podcast v...

Both Eyebrows Raised, But in Different Directions

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about #booktwitter, do a little "book of the year" talk, wonder about how all-in Oprah is on THE COVENANT OF WATER, novelists su...

You Are Your Own Lottery Ticket

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk Obama declaring once and for all (?) that he does read the books he says he does. Also, a discussion of the realities of author ...

Unsocial Situations

26 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Danika Ellis joins Jeff to talk about the last decade in LGBTQ+ books, Amazon's best books of the year so far, a recent essay about black women in pub...

We Used to Have Fun

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Kelly Jensen note the passing of two literary legends, ponder a strange pulling of a major novel, go deep on book banning legislation, and no...

Shorten That Funnel, Baby

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about a school in Utah banning the Bible, a book-banning organization officially being labeled an extremist group by the SPLC, a...

A Little High Falutin'

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about 2022's book sales, The Ripped Bodice branching out, audiobooks keep growing, an interesting new trailer, recent reading, a...

May I Suggest?

26 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca are off for the Memorial Day weekend, but Jeff offers something to hold you over in the meantime, and something to check out on May 3...

It All Sounds Dirty

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca follow up on THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR and the mystery non-fiction title, get into an LLM marketing to help write novels, PRH...

People Have Lost Their Minds

15 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kelly Jensen joins Jeff to talk about two very weird publishing stories and then a long discussion about book banning and new legislation attempting t...

Moms, Dads, and Grads Recommendations: 2023

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca respond to listener requests for recommendations. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. The show can also be found...

The Gimmick is Life

01 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about good buzz for the adaptation of Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret coming out this weekend, the most banned books of ...

Submit for a recommendation for Moms, Dads, and Grads gifting season

27 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Moms, Dads and Grads gifting season is upon us! So here is just a quick reminder if you're looking for a recommendation of books to give to a mom, a d...

Searching for the “It” Book of April

24 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca are traveling for work this week, so we present the inaugural episode of First Edition to tide you over. We’ll be back next week wi...

Wandering into Bookstores Barefoot

17 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca note a coming 10 years of discourse, are unimpressed by the bestselling books of the year so far, and chew on a big nothingburger abo...

You Cannot Moonlight as David

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about audiobooks for quite a bit longer than they thought plus some other things. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, an...

MAD MEN, But for Publishing

03 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca tease First Edition a little bit more, wind up the case of the manuscript thief, continue to have more things to say about LLMs, are ...

Break This Coffee Mug and Eat It

27 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about a new podcast project (!), a record year for book bannings, more ChatGPT things (not all of them bad!), BookTok influencer...

Temporal Neophytes

20 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the Chat-GTP4's weak performance on AP English Exams, Leigh Bardugo getting that bag, why modern adults seem befuddled by ...

Give the People What They Want

13 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about Noam Chomsky on AI, women publishing more books than men, a celebrity bookstore acquisition, TikTok getting into publishin...

Rabbit-Deer Hybrid Thing

06 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca continue to mull ChatGPT’s potential to change reading, assess another change to “classic” texts, recount recent reading, and m...

Buttering the Bricks [Updated]

27 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Book Riot managing editor Vanessa Diaz joins Jeff to talk about the officially-ratified HarperCollins contract, ChatGPT and ebook “authorship,” bo...

A Tale as Old as the Medici

20 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the end of the HarperCollins strike, possible homes for Simon & Schuster, a real mess at Indigo, recent reading, and more....

Riding on a High of Wanting to Be Different

13 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff And Rebecca cover a range of interesting listener emails, catch up with publishing pay raises, look back at 10 years of data from the YA category...

Recreational Awe

06 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the Barnes & Noble renaissance, a new book from Jesmyn Ward, developments in the world of publishing pay, a couple of new ...

The Apocalypse is For Everybody

30 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca consider listener feedback, talk about Goodreads users’s most anticipated books of 2023, a wild use case for modern chatbots and bo...

No Country for Old Scuba Divers

23 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca follow up on reading goggles and scorched earth memoirs, look at other angles on unions in publishing, survey what recent-ish books a...

9 Billion NDAs

16 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk a little more union stuff, try to imagine e-reading with VR goggles, note with disinterest a blockbuster title, look at the best...

Top 10 Most Anticipated Adaptations Coming in 2023

13 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about 10 interesting new adaptations coming in 2023. Plus other less interesting but still interesting ones. Follow the podcast ...

Camels and Wedges

09 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca are back to talk about Barack Obama’s favorite books of 2022, Apple launches AI narration of audiobooks, 2022 print sales, listener...

The Top Bookish Stories of 2022

19 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca look back on the most important, interesting, and befuddling stories from the year in books and reading. Follow the podcast via RSS,...

The Books of the Year

12 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca discuss the books that define the year of 2022. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. The show can also be foun...

Our Favorite Books of 2022

05 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about their favorite books of 2022. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. The show can also be found on Stitc...

2022 Holiday Recommendation Show, Part 2

28 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca conclude this year’s holiday recommendation extravaganza. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. The show can als...

2022 Holiday Recommendation Show, Part 1

23 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The annual tradition returns! In this first of two episodes, Jeff and Rebecca respond to listener recommendation requests. Follow the podcast via RSS,...

Where the Crawdads Sing 2

21 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca try to figure out the mystery of a 2023 title with a HUGE print run, B&N booksellers’ book(s) of the year, the National Book Award ...

The Most Giftable Books of 2022

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca pick books from the year that are the most giftable. Whatever that means. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify....

The Full Gutenberg

14 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Jeff and Rebecca talk about a strike at HarperCollins, who got the future of book-selling right, a beta Kindle Rewards program, and much mo...

The Cap is a Feather

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the NPR Book Concierge, a report on the Gone Girl Cruise, ToMo on a stamp, PRH not becoming PRHS&S, and much more. Follow ...

Little Fancy Boy on the Internet

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Jeff and Rebecca talk about best of lists in general, Publishers Weekly’s list in particular, Spotify being surprised at not being specia...

The 10 Biggest Bookish Phenomena of Our Reading Lives

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca bring their favorite Patreon episode out from behind the wall: the biggest bookish phenomena of their reading lives. To get all the e...

The Complete Tiffany Necklace

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about Barnes & Noble’s best books of the year, Alexandra Alter’s article on Colleen Hoover, and more. For more industry news...

11% Devil

10 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the 2022 Nobel Prize in Literature, audiobooks coming to Spotify, Amazon’s updated ebook return policy, a new Kindle mod...

Dead Poets Society

03 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the most bookish non-adaptation ever made. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. The show can also b...

Welcome to the Niche

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the National Book Award longlist, which apparently triggers an existential crisis for Jeff. Follow the podcast via RSS, Ap...

When One of You is a Dragon

19 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about John Green getting banned in his home school, new ereader news, recent reading, and much more. Follow the podcast via RSS,...

A Mist of Possibility

12 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the Booker Prize shortlist, Nora Roberts making it rain for a Michigan library, Virginia’s obscenity case against Gender...

Where the Slugs Dwell

29 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca follow-up about stocking changes at Barnes & Noble, a Texas school district bans the word “transgender,” a slate of new book club...

Go Kill a Watchman

22 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the horrible attack on Salman Rushdie, a maybe consequential change to what Barnes & Noble stocks in its physical stores, ...

The Tipping Point Was a Tipping Point

15 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the passing of David McCullough, who holds the Dad Book crown, seeing the Colleen Hoover phenomenon in the wild, rubber-ne...

A Novel Trial

08 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rebecca and Sharifah discuss the salacious history of Go Ask Alice, the antitrust trial against Penguin Random House’s merger with Simon & Schuster,...

Millions of Canadians Cranking

01 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about Obama’s summer reading picks, Canadian reading habits, another take on “self-censorship,” and more. Follow the podca...

Book Riot Matches Donations to the National Network of Abortion Funds

26 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Book Riot is running a campaign to match donations to the National Network of Abortion Funds from July 25th through August 1st. Feminism, gender equal...

Save It For the Message Boards

25 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk trailers (She Said, Rings of Power, House of the Dragon), a HarperCollins walk-out, Michelle Obama’s new book, and much more. ...

Catch-451

18 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk the best-selling books of the year, Book Riot’s own best books of the year so far, a very suspect reality show idea, and much ...

Good Job, Matt

11 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about Jesmyn Ward winning the Library of Congress Fiction Prize, a major publisher getting hijacked (?), labor at publishing hou...

Mental Cellophane

04 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about “the book of the year,” Barnes & Noble and TikTok collaborating, follow up on book censorship stories, and more. Follo...

A Feather in the Trap

27 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jenn Northington joins Jeff to talk about a sweeping New York Times piece on diversity in publishing, the most popular GoodReads books of the moment, ...

The Implied Headline

20 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rebecca is joined by Book Riot’s managing editor, Vanessa Diaz, while Jeff is on vacation. They discuss the relaunch of MTV Books, James Patterson’...

Two Questions and a Comment

13 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about Barnes & Noble’s picks for the best books of the year so far, Spotify coming for audiobooks, the quiet end of Oprah’s ...

I’ve Got No Animal Paraphernalia

06 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca discuss the results of their summer preview draft, go through a bunch of listener feedback, talk about a cookbook being adapted for t...

Playing by the Ruled

30 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about book sales, Amazon’s new book club, the bookstore of the year, recent reading, and more. Follow the podcast via RSS, App...

From Talk Easy: Jennifer Egan on Writing Through Time

27 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we're sharing a special preview of a podcast we've been enjoying, Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso, from Pushkin Industries. Talk Easy is a weekly int...

Foley Artist on Mars

23 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about a striking attempt to sue Barnes & Noble for obscenity and pornography, admit we were wrong but for dumb reasons, talk abo...

Manga Eyes of Desire

16 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the 2022 Pulitzer Prizes, the reMarkable 2….tablet?, recent reading, and more. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcast...

Exaggerate, Enhance, Create, and Reify

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca take listener feedback, spend a few moments talking about Julia on HBO, look at real, honest-to-goodness BookTok numbers, and talk wi...

2022 Moms, Dad, and Grads Recommendation Show

02 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca turn with their annual spring recommendation show. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. The show can also be foun...

Caffeinated, Liquid Snickers Bar

25 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about Barnes & Noble as publishing’s hero(!?), developments in the world of book banning, new initiatives to combat said banni...

The Realm of Cookies

18 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk 2022 book sales so far, Brandon Sanderson making it rain, dive into The Candy House by Jennifer Egan, and more. Follow the podca...

A Broken Hallelujah

11 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the new Book Riot Podcast Patreon, solicit recommendation requests for Moms/Dads/Grads episode, somehow spin out again abo...

From Talk Easy: Michael Lewis on The Premonition

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We’re sharing a special preview of a podcast we’ve been enjoying, Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso, from Pushkin Industries. Talk Easy is a weekly inter...

They're All Lowlights

04 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about listener experiences with Atlas of the Heart, do a quick update from the Sandersonverse, discuss the rising sales of LBGTQ...

To Kill a Mockingbird Meets Nicholas Sparks

28 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Danika Ellis joins Rebecca Schinsky to talk about Dr Seuss sales, librarians getting fired for not pulling books, that Where the Crawdads Sing Trailer...

Nobels and Hostages

21 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about books sales thus far in 2022, check in on the “book of the year” candidates, note some discontent in the publishing wo...

You Know How I Am With Bandwagons

14 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about B&N’s 2021 results and how TikTok steers the ship, recent reading, new Cormac McCarthy novels, and more. Follow the podc...

Brandon Swagder$on

07 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the closing of Amazon Books and the most interesting self-publishing story yet. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts...

Dolly Partterson

28 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk more about bonus content, the Dolly Parton/James Patterson unique audio experience, trailer talk, and more. Follow the podcast v...

Algorithms Gone Wild

21 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk premium podcast content, play a bookish round of 20 Questions, think about the two-year anniversary of Bookshop, and much more. ...

Freudian Slippers

14 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about new details about The Spine Collector, Apple’s Book Club, recent reads, and more. Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podc...

Crying with a Knife

07 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca finally are ready to talk about Station Eleven, after discussing recent reads. And in the second half of the episode, they get to tal...

Bankable Crossover

31 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff is joined by Vanessa Diaz to talk about 2021s bestsellers, recent notable and favorite books, the continuing surge in book banning and censorshop...