I'd Rather Be Reading

Emily Giffin on Her Most Courageous Novel Yet, The Summer Pact

09 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to dream I’d Rather Be Reading guests—I’m talking about names at the top of the vision board—Emily Giffin would be right there a...

Gary Janetti on His Best Tips and Tales from a Life Full of Travel

08 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we’re talking about travel tips and tricks and tales with a fascinating person to tackle the topic with—none other than Gary Janetti, whose...

William D. Cohan on Losing Four Friends from His Boarding School, Andover, Far Too Soon—Including John F. Kennedy Jr.

03 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As our series honoring the tragic plane crash that killed John F. Kennedy Jr., Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, and Lauren Bessette continues in the leadup t...

Howard Blum on His True Crime Masterpiece About the Idaho Student Murders—and When Bryan Kohberger’s Case May Finally Go To Trial

01 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hi listeners—please be advised that this episode is true crime in nature and contains graphic descriptions of a violent crime. If this may be trigge...

Dr. Steven M. Gillon on His Friend, John F. Kennedy Jr., and His Life as America’s Reluctant Prince

27 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As we continue our series on John F. Kennedy Jr., Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, and Lauren Bessette to honor the 25-year anniversary of their tragic death...

Christopher Andersen on the Tragic Loss of John F. Kennedy Jr., Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, and Lauren Bessette in a Plane Crash 25 Years Ago This Summer

23 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I still remember exactly where I was on Saturday, July 17, 1999, when the news bulletin flashed across the screen that the small plane carrying John F...

Glynnis MacNicol on Her Latest Memoir, Which Explores One Woman’s Pursuit of Pleasure in Paris

20 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This conversation today with my new friend Glynnis MacNicol is so empowering, as is her latest book, I’m Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself: One Woman’s ...

Samhita Mukhopadhyay on the Myth of Making It, and Why the Modern Workplace Needs a Reckoning

18 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are so many books coming out this month about rethinking women and the workplace—specifically by former magazine editors, which, as a magazine...

Sara B. Franklin on the Life of Unsung Hero Judith Jones, Book Editor for Anne Frank and Julia Child Whose Influence Profoundly Shaped American Culture

17 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You may not know the name Judith Jones, but you’ve certainly felt this dynamic woman’s impact and influence on culture. Judith Jones was the edito...

Dr. Heather Sandison on How to Reverse (or Prevent!) Alzheimer’s and Take Back Control and Power Over Our Cognitive Health

13 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Alzheimer’s and finding a cure for it is a cause I am deeply passionate about; we have spoken about it on the show many times before. I couldn’t b...

Erika Ayers Badan on the Best Career Advice She’s Found, Being Passionate About Your Work, Her Time as CEO of Barstool Sports, and Why Failure Is Important to Success

11 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I’m really excited to bring you today’s conversation with Erika Ayers Badan, who you might know as the woman formerly known as Erika Nardini. (Eri...

Corey Mead on Fascinating Secrets of the White House and What It Means to America

10 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Just when you think you know everything there is to know about the White House, here comes Corey Mead and his book The Hidden History of the White Hou...

Trailblazing Journalist Lynn Povich on Becoming the First Female Senior Editor of Newsweek and the Legacy of the First Female Class Action Lawsuit It Took to Make that Possible

07 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I’m pulling out the champagne and raising a glass to I’d Rather Be Reading, my passion project and the work of my life, a show that celebrates non...

Garrett M. Graff on the Human Element of Both the September 11, 2001, Attacks and D-Day in World War II, Which Took Place 80 Years Ago Today

06 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When I invited Garrett M. Graff on the show, I did so to chat about his incredible book The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11, which came...

Jennifer Romolini on the Dark Side of Ambition, Experiencing Burnout, and How Workaholism is Connected to Childhood Trauma

04 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I wasn’t expecting, through Jennifer Romolini’s memoir Ambition Monster, to feel as seen as I was. About workaholism. Ambition addiction. Achievem...

Julie Satow on the Twentieth Century Department Store and the Powerhouse Women Who Ran Them—and Helped Define American Fashion in the Process

02 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back to I’d Rather Be Reading—both the start of season 12 and, later this week, our three-year anniversary! We’ve got so much good in st...

Sunny Hostin on Her Latest Work of Fiction in the Three-Part Summer Beach Series, “Summer on Highland Beach,” and the Magic of Historically Black Beach Communities

26 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We have come to our season 11 finale, unbelievably, and to mark the occasion we have the fantastic, dynamic Sunny Hostin here to talk about her latest...

Dr. Katy Milkman on How to Change and Get from Where You Are To Where You Want To Be

23 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One of the most important books written in the last few years is Dr. Katy Milkman’s 2021 book How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You A...

Elizabeth Beller on the Life and Legacy of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy

21 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to people I am most compelled by, living or dead, right there at the top of the list is Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. And, actually, one of ...

Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan—Also Known as The Fug Girls—On (In My Opinion Anyway) Basically Creating the Subgenre of Royal Fiction with The Royal We and The Heir Affair

20 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to episode three of three in my royal fiction series, which we started with Katharine McGee, continued with Linda Keir, and are finishing with...

Happiness Expert Stephanie Harrison on What We’ve Gotten Wrong About Happiness Heretofore and How We Can Embrace the “New Happy”

16 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One of my absolute new favorite people is Stephanie Harrison, author of the book New Happy: Getting Happiness Right in a World That’s Got It Wrong, ...

Plum Sykes on Her Latest Novel, Which Takes Us Inside the World of the Glamorous, High-Society English Countryside and Introduces Us to “the Country Princess”

14 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There is no novel better than a Plum Sykes novel, and I have mentioned on the show what a fan I am of Plum’s work—and of Plum, period, end of stor...

Adam Higginbotham on the Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster

13 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

First things first: today’s episode is fantastic, but deals with some really heavy, difficult subject matter. Please be advised, and please take car...

Elise Loehnen on How and Why Women Are Culturally Programmed and Deeply Controlled by the Desire to Be “Good”

10 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I was doing my scroll of all of my favorite magazine’s sites when I saw a headline on Vanity Fair that read “Elise Loehnen Would Like Mothers to G...

Susan Page on the Legendary Broadcast Journalist and Television Personality Barbara Walters, Both Onscreen and Off

09 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today on the show we’re talking about the legend that is Barbara Walters. We actually have another journalist I admire, Susan Page, who wrote The Ru...

Roger Lewis on Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton’s Passionate, Glamorous, and Sometimes Ridiculous Love Story

08 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to women I find totally compelling, Elizabeth Taylor tops the list for me. Why, you may ask? Well, her Academy Award-winning career and ...

Jen Psaki on Life as White House Press Secretary and Her Best, Most Effective Communication Tips and Tricks from Her 22-Year Career in the Field

07 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I have two surprise, special episodes for you this week, including today’s chat with none other than Jen Psaki! Yes, that’s right, the Jen Psaki, ...

Mary Kay Andrews on Her Secret to Longevity and How to Use Setting or Place as a Character In a Bestselling Novel

06 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We’re continuing to add to your beach read pile today with another fiction pick I couldn’t get enough of: Summers at the Saint by Mary Kay Andrews...

Hannah Brown on Writing Romance Fiction, Love, Wedding Planning, and Why She Made Mistakes a Central Theme in Her Fiction Debut

02 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hi listeners! I have a very exciting announcement today—our episode today marks our 200th episode! Most podcasts don’t make it to 100 episodes, an...

Erik Larson on Fort Sumter, President Abraham Lincoln, and the Path Leading Up to the Civil War’s Beginnings in 1861

30 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In his latest book The Demon of Unrest: A Saga of Hubris, Heartbreak, and Heroism at the Dawn of the Civil War, Erik Larson—who I think is one of th...

April Simpkins on Her Daughter, Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst, Her Ongoing Legacy, and the Importance of Mental Health Advocacy

28 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hi listeners—in our conversation today, we will be discussing suicide. If you or someone you know needs mental health help, please text STRENGTH to ...

Dr. Meg Jay on What It's Like to Be a Twentysomething Today, and Why the Twenties Are Such a Challenging Decade in One’s Life

26 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In her book The Twentysomething Treatment: A Revolutionary Remedy for an Uncertain Age, clinical psychologist Dr. Meg Jay writes of the 75 million adu...

Sam McAlister on Securing the Infamous Prince Andrew Interview for BBC’s Newsnight, the Basis of Netflix’s New Film Scoop

24 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One of the buzziest films of the month is Netflix’s new movie Scoop starring Gillian Anderson and Rufus Sewell—it came out April 5 and is about th...

J. Randy Taraborrelli on the Actress Grace Kelly, Her Royal Wedding, Her Marriage to Prince Rainier III, and Her Life as a Princess in Monaco

22 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Last week, on April 18 and 19, the woman formerly known as Grace Kelly and, after marriage, Princess Grace of Monaco, would have marked 68 years of ma...

Dave Cullen on the Columbine High School Massacre, 25 Years Later

20 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There are no two ways around this fact: today’s conversation is tough. It’s really, really tough. Today, April 20, 2024, marks 25 years since the ...

Jeffrey Toobin on the 29th Anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing and How Its Impact Is Still Felt Today

18 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On April 19, 1995—29 years ago tomorrow—at 9:02 a.m., a fertilizer truck bomb exploded outside of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahom...

Gareth Russell on the Sinking of the Titanic, 112 Years After It Happened

14 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On April 15, 1912, the RMS Titanic—a British ocean liner operated by the White Star Line—sank in the North Atlantic Ocean after striking an iceber...

Linda Keir on the Royal Family Fiction Subgenre and Their Contribution to It, “The Royal Game”

12 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to this special fiction episode of I’d Rather Be Reading—specifically part two in my latest fiction subgenre obsession: royal family ficti...

Teri Agins on How Fashion and Celebrity Interface, and How the Power of Celebrity Has Changed the Fashion Industry Forever

10 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to fashion journalists, the crème de la crème is my guest today, Teri Agins. Today’s episode is celebrating the 10-year anniversary ...

J. Reuben Appelman on the Brutal Murders of Four University of Idaho Students in November 2022, and Where the Case Against Bryan Kohberger Stands Today

08 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to season 11 of I’d Rather Be Reading! This season we will, of course, continue to cover the latest and greatest nonfiction books, but we’...

Powerhouse Literary Agent Lucinda Halpern on Actionable Steps to Find an Agent, Land a Book Deal, and Write the Book You Were Meant to Write

01 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the season 10 finale, friends! What a great season it has been, with so much more in store in the forthcoming season 11. Today on the show ...

Sarah Ditum on How Toxic It Was to Be a Female Celebrity in the 2000s—from Britney Spears to Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Kim Kardashian, and More

29 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There is no better person to close out March and Women’s History Month on I’d Rather Be Reading than Sarah Ditum, author of the new book Toxic: Wo...

Kate Betts on Being Editor-in-Chief at Harper’s Bazaar, Working for Vogue and Fairchild Publications, Her Books About Paris and First Lady Michelle Obama’s Style, and What’s Next for Her

28 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Well, we started our Women in Power series for Women’s History Month with a legendary editor-in-chief and we’re going to end the series with one, ...

Kaitlin Menza on Telling the Stories of Women Whose Voices Deserve to Be Heard (Famous or Not), Writing Multiple Columns, Freelancing, and Living in Taiwan and Making It Work with U.S. Time Zones

24 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I have with me the remarkable Kaitlin Menza, another contemporary of mine who has just done so much, it’s baffling. Kaitlin is another journalist wh...

Elle Magazine’s Véronique Hyland on Fashion, Famous Women, and, Yes, Millennial Pink

21 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How often is it that you write an essay so oft-quoted and ubiquitous that you define an entire generation by a single color? Today’s guest, Veroniqu...

Vanity Fair’s Erin Vanderhoof on Life as a Royal Correspondent and Her Favorite Royal Family Books

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

My two main niches in both my life and my work are books (but you already knew that) and the royal family. You may not know this about me—or maybe y...

Special Mini-Episode: Let’s Hear It for the Guys, Too

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I know we are still in the thick of March and Women’s History Month and that our Women in Power series has introduced (or reintroduced) you to some ...

Mattie Kahn on Writing About Powerful Women and Girls, What It’s Really Like to Be a Freelance Writer, the Experience of Interviewing Celebrities, and What She’d Tell Her Teenage Self

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When InStyle’s cover for “The Confidence Issue” came out, I tore through Mattie Kahn’s cover profile on Sharon Stone. Listeners, this is a fan...

Lesley Jane Seymour on Being Editor-in-Chief of YM, Redbook, Marie Claire, and More, Resilience, and How It’s Never Too Late to Reinvent Yourself

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Our Women in Power series for Women’s History Month rolls on—today’s guest is Lesley Jane Seymour, who has been editor-in-chief of four differen...

Andrea Lavinthal on Juggling Life As a Working Mom, How the 1990s Is the Best Decade of All Time, and What It’s Like to Be the Style and Beauty Director at People Magazine

14 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We are going to close this week with such a fun conversation with one of my favorite writers and editors, the spectacular Andrea Lavinthal! Andrea is ...

Danielle Pergament on the Art of the Celebrity Profile—and What It’s Like When Jennifer Aniston, Victoria Beckham, Charlize Theron, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Garner, and Kim Kardashian Open Up to You

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Continuing our Women in Power series for Women’s History Month, today I’m bringing you the absolutely fabulous Danielle Pergament, whose work as a...

Tamron Hall on Why Writing Crime Fiction Is Especially Meaningful to Her + 11 Other Fiction Authors I Love + Two More TV Picks Based on Books

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Admittedly, I don’t read a ton of fiction, but one fictional character I deeply enjoy is that of Jordan Manning, born from the mind of Tamron Hall, ...

Alexandra Shulman, Former British Vogue Editor-in-Chief of 25 Years, on Life at the Top of the Masthead, Writing Fiction and Memoirs, and Making Fashion More Inclusive

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In addition to Friday being International Women’s Day, March is Women’s History Month, and that seemed the perfect time to have this series I’ve...

Lisa Mayer of Boss Beauties on How Every Day Is International Women’s Day and How We Can Be Everything We Want to Be + My Top TV (and One Movie!) Picks Based on Books for Spring 2024

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever met someone, and you just instantly knew they were someone you wanted to get to know? That’s how I felt when I met today’s guest, Li...

Film Expert and Oscars Guru Dave Karger on the Academy Awards Past and Present, the Relevancy of the Ceremony, and His Best Predictions for Sunday’s Big Show

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I’m so pleased to share with you a special bonus episode discussing the Oscars, which are quickly approaching this Sunday, March 10. The Academy Awa...

David Charter on Queen Elizabeth, Her Relationship with the United States, and the 13 Presidents She Knew While on the Throne—From Eisenhower to Biden

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s conversation, if nothing else, was made just for me—and I hope many of you, as well. Two of my favorite subjects to read about are the Bri...

Charlotte Donlon on Loneliness, Belonging, and How Both Are Essential to the Human Experience

29 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today on the show, we’re talking about loneliness. Now, before you switch off this episode and head off to what you might consider greener pastures,...

Katie Rogers, White House Correspondent at The New York Times, on the Transformation of the Modern First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, and What It Might Look Like When We Have a First Gentleman

25 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One of my personal favorite subjects to study is First Ladies—I am completely compelled by these women, regardless of party affiliation, and I’ve ...

Chef Missy Robbins, Our First Cookbook Author, on the Day-to-Day Life of a Chef, Kitchen Culture, How Realistic the Show The Bear Really Is, and Self-Discovery on the Journey

24 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve got yet another first on the show today—our very first cookbook author! Yes, this is a cookbook, filled with delicious recipes and mouthwate...

Audrey Hepburn’s Son Luca Dotti and Meghan Friedlander of Rare Audrey Hepburn on the Legendary Actress and Her Love Affair with Paris

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Yet another pinch me moment this week—today on the show we have Audrey Hepburn’s son, Luca Dotti, and Meghan Friedlander, who together wrote the b...

Katharine McGee, New York Times Bestselling Author of the American Royals Series, on Writing Fiction, What’s Next for Her, and, Of Course, the Royal Family

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Surprise! Today is a special fiction pick day, and I have one of the most popular writers of fiction on the market today: New York Times bestselling a...

Savannah Guthrie of NBC’s Today Show on Her Deep Faith, Her Purpose, and the God She Knows

19 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Life is full of pinch me moments, and this certainly is one: talking to the Savannah Guthrie about our shared faith in God. All glory to God for this ...

Vera Chapman, Our First Children’s Book Author, on Pregnancy Loss and How to Help Children Grieve Through It

15 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s episode is a tough one—but it is also such a beautiful one. I want to insert a trigger warning here: my guest and I will be discussing the...

Jennie Allen on Why It’s Important to Feel the Feelings—All of Them

13 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I first became familiar with the dynamic Jennie Allen in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when my Bible study group did a study on Jennie’...

Patti Davis, Daughter of U.S. President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan, on Her Relationship with Her Parents, Forgiveness, and the Experience of Being the Child of a President

08 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today on the show we have the remarkable Patti Davis, daughter of U.S. President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan. Patti’s new book, Dear M...

Dr. Caroline Leaf on the Mind-Brain Connection, Cleaning Up Our Mental Mess, Mind Management, Neuroplasticity, the Neurocycle, and More

06 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

I am so pleased to have Dr. Caroline Leaf on the show today to impart knowledge from her 30-year career as an applied neuroscientist. I originally int...

Julie Menanno, Also Known As @TheSecureRelationship, on Attachment Styles and How to Create a Healthy Relationship That Lasts a Lifetime

01 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome one, welcome all to season 10 of I’d Rather Be Reading! As ever, I’m so happy to have you here and a part of this community—don’t forg...

Laurence Leamer on Truman Capote and the Swans—and the New Ryan Murphy “Feud” Show About Them

25 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For our season nine finale I have a legendary journalist, Laurence Leamer, here to talk about his book Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betraya...

Dr. Aliza Pressman on How There Is No Right Way to Parent, Reparenting Ourselves, Absolving Ourselves of Parenting Guilt, and How Parenting Is the Hardest—But Most Rewarding—Work We’ll Ever Do

22 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

No matter if you are a parent or not, this conversation is for you—after all, we all have parents, right? Today’s guest is Dr. Aliza Pressman, a D...

Special Mini-Episode: An Exciting Professional Announcement from Me + Kate Kennedy of “Be There in Five” on the Experience of Being a Millennial Through the Lens of Pop Culture

18 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hi friends! If you didn’t know, I am the Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor at Marie Claire magazine, and as of this month I am in charge of our mon...

Kate Bowler on How Faith and Fear Can Coexist at the Same Time, and How It’s Okay to Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day

18 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

To say that having Kate Bowler here today is an honor is something I don’t say lightly. Kate is so gentle, soothing, and easy to open up to that I c...

Rosalind Wiseman (Who Wrote the Book that Inspired Tina Fey’s Screenplay for Mean Girls) on Raising Preteen and Teenage Girls and the Complex Social Issues They Face, from Cliques to Gossip to Boys

17 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For episode two of two of our bonus Mean Girls content, we’ve got Rosalind Wiseman on the show today, whose 2002 book Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helpi...

Dr. Daniel Goleman on How to Achieve Peak Performance Through Emotional Intelligence

15 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The godfather of emotional intelligence is on the show today! Dr. Daniel Goleman’s groundbreaking bestseller Emotional Intelligence was released nea...

Jennifer Keishin Armstrong on Mean Girls and Its Continuing Influence on Pop Culture, Teen Movies, Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, and So Much More

13 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Surprise! I’m here with a bonus episode today celebrating the pop culture juggernaut that is Mean Girls, in honor of the release of the musical film...

Dr. Linnea Passaler on How to Reverse Nervous System Dysregulation and Stop Anxiety, Burnout, and Fatigue Before They Even Start

11 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If I told you that today’s episode—the eighth and final in our January Wellness Series—could help you stop anxiety, burnout, and fatigue before ...

Dr. Samantha Boardman on How Vitality is Essential to Wellness

10 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For the only throwback pick of the January Wellness Series, I present to you the fabulous Dr. Samantha Boardman, who is talking to us today about vita...

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon on How Muscle Is the Key to Aging Well, and Why Exercise Is Non-Negotiable

09 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

This might shock you (or maybe it won’t) but 75 percent of Americans don’t get the federally recommended weekly minimum of 150 minutes of moderate...

Neal Allen on Taming Our Inner Critic

08 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As our January Wellness Series continues, today we are speaking to the dynamic Neal Allen about taming our inner critic. We all have one, and it’s c...

Dr. Uma Naidoo on How to Treat and Prevent Anxiety, ADHD, Depression, OCD, and More by What We Eat on a Daily Basis

04 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What if I told you that it was possible to control anxiety, ADHD, OCD, depression, and more by what you eat (or don’t eat)? That it was completely p...

Dr. Michael Gervais on How to Stop Worrying About What Other People Think of You

03 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For today’s January Wellness Series conversation, we’re back to mental and emotional wellness, specifically this relatable topic: caring too much ...

Dr. Anthony Youn on How to Look and Feel Younger Through Our Lifestyle Choices

02 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As our January Wellness Series rolls on, today we switch from mental and emotional wellness to physical wellness. Aging is a good thing—hey, it cert...

Dr. Nicole LePera on How to Be the Love You Seek

01 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to 2024, and welcome to our January Wellness Series! We are alternating episodes about mental and emotional wellness (like this one) and physi...

The Best Books of 2023 with Carla Jean Whitley

31 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

My annual best books episode with the dynamic Carla Jean Whitley never disappoints! Below are her picks, in order. Happy reading! The Best Books She’...

Nancy Jo Sales on Her Career with Vanity Fair, New York Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar and More, Plus Her Three Books "The Bling Ring," "American Girls," and "Nothing Personal"

28 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today on the show we have a career retrospective episode with journalist Nancy Jo Sales, who walks us through her career writing for the likes of Vani...

Aurora James on Her Beautiful Memoir, “Wildflower,” Brother Vellies, The 15 Percent Pledge, and Her Desire To Be Both a Fashion Designer and An Activist

26 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Simply put? Today’s guest, Aurora James, is a force. I have no idea what hidden stash of hours she has to do all that she does in a day, a week, a m...

Candace Bushnell on (Of Course) Sex and the City, Writing Both Nonfiction and Fiction, Her Upcoming Reality Dating Show, Writers She Admires, and Why She Always Writes About Powerful Women

21 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The one, the only Candace Bushnell is on the show today! *insert fangirl screaming here* As Sex and the City is my favorite show of all time—and Can...

Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino on MTV’s Jersey Shore, Battling Drug Addiction, Serving Prison Time for Tax Evasion, and Life Now As a Family Man

18 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino—star of MTV’s Jersey Shore and a career reality show talent with other appearances on shows like Dancing w...

Special Mini-Episode: A Short But Vitally Important Message from Me to You This Holiday Season

15 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There will literally never be another "I'd Rather Be Reading" episode this short again. Enjoy it, and support your local booksellers thi...

BBC’s Katty Kay on the Transformative Power of a Life of Confidence

15 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today on the show we have one-half of one of my favorite writing duos: BBC’s Katty Kay who, along with fellow journalist Claire Shipman, has authore...

Terri Pous on How to Plan the Wedding of Your Dreams

13 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There are so many details when it comes to planning a wedding: what dress code will your guests wear? How about the flowers? Should you get a photogra...

Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche on 10 Steps to Reaching Your Financial Goals in 2024 and Beyond

07 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Some episodes of this show are more niche, and some apply to us all—and this is an example of the latter. No matter where you’re at in your person...

Rob Harvilla on the Music of the 1990s and Why the Decade Was Pure Magic

05 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s season nine opener is so fun—I could have talked to Rob Harvilla forever! We are going back to our mutual favorite decade, the 1990s, spec...

Guideposts Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief Edward Grinnan on His Mother’s Battle with Alzheimer’s, His Fears of Inheriting It Himself, and the Faith That Saw (and Sees) Him Through

03 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For our season eight finale, I had the honor of speaking to the editor-in-chief of Guideposts, a faith-based magazine I grew up reading, as my grandpa...

Samantha Harris of Dancing with the Stars, E! News, and Entertainment Tonight on How to Get to Your Healthiest Healthy

26 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Samantha Harris—a broadcaster who you know from co-hosting Dancing with the Stars alongside Tom Bergeron for seven seasons and hosting shows like E!...

Eve Rodsky on Marriage, Motherhood, the Value of a Woman’s Time, and Reclaiming Yourself

23 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Who knew that a text about blueberries could nearly end a marriage? Eve Rodsky received a text from her husband, Seth, asking why she didn’t pick up...

Mitch Albom on His Latest Work of Fiction, “The Little Liar”

18 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This conversation lit a fire in me, and I knew I’d Rather Be Reading was nowhere near finished. Mitch is the author of my favorite work of fiction o...

Mandy Matney on the Alex Murdaugh Murder Trial and the Experience of Reporting On It from the Beginning

13 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Murdaugh saga (there is no better word I can find for it than that) gripped the nation earlier this year, as patriarch Alex Murdaugh was sentenced...

Mark Dent and Rustin Dodd on Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs and Kansas City Itself, and, Yes, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift (We Had To)

10 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s very rare I know my guests on the show personally, but for today’s episode, I do. I have been proud to know Mark Dent and Rustin Dodd since o...

Kathy Kleiner Rubin on Surviving Serial Killer Ted Bundy, and Why His Victims Should Be Honored and Remembered

08 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's January 15, 1978. Kathy Kleiner is a student at Florida State University and is asleep in her room at the Chi Omega sorority house. Unbeknown...

Robin Givhan on The Battle of Versailles, a Night Where American Fashion Cemented Its Place in the Global Conversation 50 Years Ago This Month

05 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From beauty in our last throwback pick episode to fashion in this one, I have another of my heroes, Robin Givhan, on the program today. Robin is a fas...