Book Riot - The Podcast

Loyal to the Bit

08 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the Seuss Enterprise’s decision to stop publishing a half-dozen books, continue ruminating on a “is it good?” segmen...

Wiki in Shame

01 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about another format they might want to try for talking about books, whether 2020 means we can finally stop confusing the fate o...

Southern Belles with Benefits

22 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about what books actually get read, emotionally manipulative novels, tackle a couple of listener question, and try another guess...

Pyrrhic Victory

15 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca discuss the winner of the Spring Preview draft, Hachette getting out of the right-wing publishing game, the Obamas adaptation-heavy N...

Arrogance with Shine

08 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca reflect on the end of Jeff Bezos’ tenure as CEO of Amazon, the launch of the Reese Witherspoon Book Club app, and comment on a comm...

Buy Stock in Amanda Gorman

01 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jenn Northington joins Jeff to talk about a new ebook price-fixing lawsuit, the meteoric rise of Amanda Gorman, the high degree of difficulty of adapt...

2021 Spring Preview

25 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca preview the interesting new Spring releases in the form of a draft! They each drafted 10 books to make a basket with the intended au...

A Picnic Basket for the Mind

18 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about Simon & Schuster pulling Josh Hawley’s book, Powell’s getting heat for carrying a title, discuss how to structure thei...

There's a Caboose Coming

11 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the best-selling books of 2020, Eat a Peach follow-up, how the publishing industry fared last year, and much more. Discus...

Best of the Rest: Our Favorite Non-Book Things of 2020

04 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca share their favorite things from 2020 that were not books. Discussed in this episode: Summer Camp Island Making of Frozen 2 The M...

Our Favorite Reads of 2020

21 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca recount their favorite reads of 2020. Discussed in this episode: Intimations by Zadie Smith Eat a Peach by David Chang The Beauty...

Serrated Crescendo

14 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about PRH buying Simon & Schuster, survey best books of the year lists, and much more. Discussed in this episode: The 2021 Rea...

2020 Holiday Recommendations, Part 2

07 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca their 2020 Holiday book recommendations. Discussed in this episode: Force of Nature by Jane Harper  The Secret History by Donna T...

2020 Holiday Recommendations, Part 1

30 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca give book recommendations in response to reader requests. Discussed in this episode:  In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan  King...

Null Hypothesis Feedback

23 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca go over some A Promised Land sales numbers, look over the National Book Award winners, check in with the sale of Simon & Schuster, an...

THE WEST WING, Reconsidered

18 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff, Amanda, and Rebecca return to The West Wing. At least for the pilot. This episode is sponsored by: This episode is sponsored by Yen Press, On...

Spiritual Cheese

16 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the lead up to A Promised Land, authors you know by just their first names, a very real literary puzzle, and much more. T...

Buy, Sell, Hold: 2020's Notable Books

11 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca play a round of Buy/Sell/Hold with some of 2020’s most notable books. This episode is sponsored by: This episode is sponsored by ...

One Hour of Podcasting

09 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca try to remain focused while doing a bunch of listener follow-up, wonder about HMH’s trade business being for sale, admire PW’s Be...

Adaptation Wish List

04 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca list their most-wished for bookish adaptations. This episode is sponsored by: This episode is sponsored by Zikora by Chimamanda Ngo...

You Need Three for a Parade

02 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about a call for help and a weird stock purchase at The Strand, more encouraging hires in publishing, an ugly fight at B&N goes ...

JACK by Marilynne Robinson

28 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca discuss Jack by Marilynne Robinson. This episode is sponsored by: This episode is sponsored by Book Trip, by C.J. Duarte, Penguin R...

Gird Your Whatevers

26 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca mostly respond to listener ideas for bonus episodes. Some of it is even about books. This episode is sponsored by: This episode is ...

Adaptation Nation: Little Fires Everywhere, High Fidelity, and Enola Holmes

21 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca discuss the recent adaptations of Little Fires Everywhere, High Fidelity, and Enola Holmes. This episode is sponsored by: This epis...

Word of Mouth for Robots

19 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca ask for ideas for post-election episode topics, go over what is going on with book sales, float the idea of making author “retireme...

(Re)Introducing Ourselves to Louise Glück

14 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the life and work of 2020 Nobel Laureate Louise Glück, plus an extended discussion of her 1993 poem, “Vespers.” This...

30 Dirty Spoons

12 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca tease their special 2020 Nobel Prize episode, look at the National Book Award longlist, consider an interesting new position at Simon...

Half Baked Ideas, Volume 2

07 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca pitch ideas that are not quite ready for prime-time. This episode is sponsored by Grand Central Publishing and Iris Johansen’s CHA...

A Mighty Hrrumpff

05 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about Amazon’s apparent discount decline, a new Executive Editor at Random House, another major James Patterson donation, and ...

It Book: TRANSCENDENT KINGDOM by Yaa Gyasi

30 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Liberty Hardy of All the Books! and Rincey Abrams of Read or Dead join Jeff to talk about Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORE...

Sand Forward

28 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jenn Northington joins Jeff to talk about listener reactions to the Dune trailer, the launch of Publishers Weekly in Spanish, the National Book Founda...

EAT A PEACH by David Chang and DUNE Trailer Talk

23 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca discuss Eat a Peach by David Chang. Then Jenn Northington comes on to talk to Jeff about that Dune trailer. This episode is sponsore...

German Flotilla

21 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the CEO of Macmillan leaving, Obama’s presidential memoir release date and cover reveal, the DOJ looking to press charge...

Book Nerd Movie Club: The Princess Bride

16 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the book and the movie versions of The Princess Bride. This episode is sponsored by: See Her Die by Melinda Leigh Inter...

The Tyranny of Khaki

14 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca discuss rumors of PRH trying to buy Simon & Schuster, a bankrupt printer causing havoc in publishing, more cringe-inducing Dan Brown…...

Deals Deals Deals

09 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff presents Rebecca with a host of recently announced book deals of varying interest. This episode is sponsored by: Don’t Ever Forget by Matthe...

2020 Fall Preview

02 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca highlight the most interesting, noteworthy, and exciting books being released this fall. This episode is sponsored by; Book Riot Ins...

A Very Quiet Heist

30 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca follow-up about the Future Library, are surprised by the NBCC vote, get excited for Enola Holmes, and much more. This episode is sp...

Our Favorite Summer Reads of 2020

26 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca review their favorite reads from the most unusual summer of 2020. This episode is sponsored by: TBR The Morning Flower by Amanda Ho...

Me No Likey

24 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Rebecca and Vanessa go deep into all things Stephenie Meyer, as well as more Trump books, Amazon, and a new Netflix series featuring Marley...

High-Brow Scream Queen

17 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca discuss some listener feedback, some bookseller discontent with Bookshop, Stephanie Meyer selling 1 million books in a week, and more...

V Plus Three

10 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about more real censorship, Caste by Isabel Wilkerson arriving, extensions of live-streaming rights for kids books, Stephanie Me...

Gotta Fund These Shenanigans

03 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff gets Rebecca’s report on the first episode of The Michelle Obama Podcast, they talk about one of the more shocking publishing confessions in re...

A Lifeboat Made of Thorns

27 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the best-selling books of 2020 so far, Barnes & Noble adapting, several exciting adaptation announcements, a case of real ...

New Nonsense

20 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk Tom Hank’s GREYHOUND, Lisa Lucas leaving The National Book Awards for Random House, The National Books Critics Circle getting ...

The Egg and the Wall

13 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Jeff and Rebecca lap up the drops of tea spilling from Mary Trump’s book, talk about the coming wave of new releases, and get into that H...

It's An Honest Moustache

06 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk some new Trump books, some non-fun Dan Brown news, a hero of the week, and much more. This episode is sponsored by: These Name...

The B is for Beats

29 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Jeff and Rebecca talk about white people being upset at Black-owned bookstores for not getting them their anti-racist books fast enough (th...

THE VANISHING HALF by Brit Bennett

24 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Rebecca, Vanessa, and Sharifah discuss The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett. This episode is sponsored by: Hey YA, Book Riot’s own podcast about all...

Stealthily Moving Needles

22 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Jeff and Rebecca talk about the NBCC imploding, campaigns to buy books by Black authors, Marley Dias continuing awesomeness, and much more....

A Bunch of Whatever Nimrods

15 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Rebecca and Amanda discuss Book Riot’s response to JK Rowling, the latest news on publishers’ plans to reopen, and two movements for racial equity...

You Should Be Uncomfortable

08 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about how this week’s protests against systemic racism and police brutality intersect with the world of books and give the bes...

Whatever Falls Your Crest

01 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca run through a bunch of listener feedback, discuss celebrity bookshelves, and talk about the huge sales for The Ballad of Songbirds an...

What's Getting Us Through Right Now

27 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about non-book things that are helping them get through the day these days. This episode is sponsored by: Recipe for Persuasio...

2020 Moms, Dads, and Grad Recommendation Show

20 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca field listener recommendation requests. This episode is sponsored by: TBR Libro.fm Book Riot Insiders Devoted by Dean Koontz Se...

Worse Than a Promise

18 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Rebecca and Jeff talk about the passing of Simon & Schuster CEO Carolyn Reidy, the rumblings of re-openings in the world of books, care very little ab...

Fried Green Tomatoes (at the Whistle Stop Cafe)

13 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the book and movie, Fried Green Tomatoes (at the Whistle Stop Cafe). This episode is sponsored by: Always Human, Volume ...

We're Coming For You, Columbus

11 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Jeff and Rebecca rank order literary awards by prestige, talk about Becoming on Netflix, digest BEA and BookCon going online, and much more...

The 2020 Pulitzer Prizes

06 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca react to the 2020 Pulitzer Prizes. At least the ones they had reactions to. This episode is sponsored by: Summer Darlings by Brooke...

The Other Side of Vocational Awe

04 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about PW publishing and argument against #booksareessential, a particularly dunder-headed reading list banning, how months turn ...

Influential Sweaters

26 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca follow-up about Sweaters of Consequence, scrutinize #booksareessential, lament the through-line of the most challenged books of 2019,...

Iceland's 2nd Most Famous Sweater

20 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Jeff and Rebecca mark the official cancellation of BEA for 2020, puzzle over surprisingly good print sales numbers last week, give props to...

Deals, Deals, Deals

15 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff presents Rebecca with 16 recently announced book deals and then....well that's it. That's the schtick. This episode is sponsored by: Kim Jiyoun...

Oh, The Places You Won't Go

13 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca follow the escalating pandemic problem for Barnes & Noble, walk through the definition of "upmarket," consider a big 5 publishers lay...

Welcome to the Book Riot Podcast!

11 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Book Riot Podcast is a bi-weekly news and talk show about what's new, cool, and worth talking about in the world of books and reading, brought to ...

Help Us Pick the Next Book Nerd Movie Club Episode

09 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about five candidates for the next installment of Book Nerd Movie Club and ask readers to vote for a winner. The candidates are...

But What Day Is It

06 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about Barnes & Noble closing hundreds of stores, James Patterson riding for indies once again (though also being wrong about som...

Traveling Without Moving

02 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca run-down some of their favorite books about being...not where you are. This episode is sponsored by: The City We Became by N.K. Jem...

The Floppy Market

30 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca chronicle the continuing effects of COVID-19 on the world of books. This episode is sponsored by: TBR Spalding University The Cit...

Confidence Index: Spring & Summer Movie Adaptations

26 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca rate their confidence in this spring and summer's slate of movie adaptations. This episode is sponsored by: Book of the Month TBR ...

COVID-19 Flips The Book World (and the Rest of the World) Upside Down

23 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca try to wrap their heads around how Covid-19 is affecting the world of books and reading. This episode is sponsored by: Sisters in C...

Big Book of 2020 Discussion: WEATHER by Jenny Offill

18 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca go deep on Jenny Offill’s masterful new novel, Weather. This episode is sponsored by: TBR Spalding University Libro.fm Cross H...

The Right Place From a Weird Place

16 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about how coronavirus is affecting the works of books, Hachette dropping Woody Allen’s memoir, Macmillan floating new library ...

Discussing Libraries and Publishing with Guy Gonzalez, lead for The Panorama Project

11 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff talks with Guy LeCharles Gonzalez of The Panorama Project about what we do (and mostly don’t) know about the role of libraries in the wider pub...

The Elephant IS the Room

09 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Rebecca and Jeff talk about Oprah’s forthcoming American Dirt special, Simon & Schuster on the auction block, B&N getting back to basics, and much m...

Novel Gazing

05 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We offer you a special episode of Book Riot’s new literary fiction podcast Novel Gazing. This episode is all about adaptations and features an inter...

Wheelhouse or Beehive

02 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jenn Northington joins Jeff today to talk about Bookshop.org launching, the sales success of Barnes & Noble’s 2019 Book of the Year winner, Star War...

Book Nerd Movie Club: JURASSIC PARK

26 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Amanda, Rebecca, and Jeff discuss the book and movie, Jurassic Park. This episode is sponsored by: Book Marks Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line by De...

Vector of the Juice

24 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In a slowish news week, Jeff and Rebecca wonder about books based on podcast, offer a brief fare-thee-well to Charles Portis, name a hero of the week,...

KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL, 20 Years Later

19 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca discuss Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of its publication. This episode is sponso...

Different Day, Same Shirt

17 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the RWA’s accelerating collapse, Colin Kaepernick getting into publishing, Amazon taking a harder look at selling extrem...

Discussing the First "It" Book of 2020: SUCH A FUN AGE by Kiley Reid

12 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Vanessa, Jeff, and Sharifah talk about why Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid is the first “it” book of the year. This episode is sponsored by: Book...

Constellation of Laziness

10 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca follow-up about The Witcher, Macmillan making American Dirt amends, B&N and PRH teaming up to do something upsetting, EXTREMELY excit...

Reading Lives with Gabriel Bump

06 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Jeff dusts off the Reading Lives format to talk with Gabriel Bump, author of Everywhere You Don't Belong (which made our Winter/Sprin...

Libraries Versus Doughnuts

02 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about trends in 2019's bestsellers, Macmillan being banned from an industry conference, the American Dirt apology from Flatiron,...

Talking Through the Publication of AMERICAN DIRT

30 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Rebecca Schinsky, Vanessa Diaz, and Jeff O'Neal discuss the publication of American Dirt. This episode is sponsored by: Book Riot ...

Watching WATCHMEN

27 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about HBO's stunning adaptation of WATCHMEN. This episode is sponsored by: Book Riot Insiders. The Novel Gazing Podcast Li...

Winter/Spring 2020 Preview Show

22 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca preview titles coming out in the first four months of 2020 with a little Buy, Sell, Hold. This episode is sponsored by: Book Riot ...

Addendum to the Scolding

20 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Jeff and Rebecca talk about the new head of the ABA starting the gig, Crawdads with a triple crown, more talk about returning Audible credi...

The Dr. Seuss Complex

13 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca discuss the best-selling books of 2019, Obama's 2019 reading recs, the RWA meltdown, and more. This episode is sponsored by: Libro....

The Books of the Decade

06 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

  Jeff and Rebecca are joined by Amanda Nelson to pick the books the defined the 2010s. This episode is sponsored by: Spalding University The Sev...

2019 Year in Review

23 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca look back that the stories that made 2019 in books and reading. Plus, some of their favorite non-book things of the years. This epis...

Reverse Bermuda Triangle

16 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the Goodreads Choice Winners, Bill Gates' recommended books for 2019, more wrong-headed prison books news, and more. This...

2019 Holiday Recommendation Show, Part 2

09 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca wrap up their annual Holiday Recommendation show. This episode is sponsored by: The Great Courses Plus The Deep by Rivers Solo...

2019 Holiday Recommendation Show, Part 1

01 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca tackle the first batch of listener recommendation requests for the 2020 holiday season. This episode is sponsored by: Opus X One...

Clutching Intensifies

25 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the National Book Awards, more about the terrible Nobel year, some adaptation news, and more. This episode is sponsor...

Nerd Nuggets

18 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk BN getting on the award train, Amazon releases its best books of the year list, and a weird amount of action in Virginia. Th...

BONUS: Adaptation Nation

14 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca discuss three big new TV adaptions: His Dark Materials (HBO), Watchmen (HBO), and Dickinson (Apple TV+). This episode is sponsored b...

A Smaller But Messier Problem

11 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Jeff and Rebecca watch OverDrive jump into the Macmillan embargo fray, pass along a correction about The Little Free Library story, assess ...

BONUS: Baz Luhrmann's ROMEO + JULIET

07 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Jeff and Rebecca talk about Baz Luhrmann's 1996 adaptation of ROMEO + JULIET. This episode is sponsored by: The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell W...