NPR's Book of the Day

'Meredith, Alone' explores mental health, isolation and friendship

10 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The titular protagonist of Meredith, Alone has not left her home in three years. In today's episode, author Claire Alexander tells NPR's Scott Simon a...

A new biography of Janet Yellen offers a personal look at the trailblazing economist

09 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Janet Yellen's career has shattered several glass ceilings; she was the first female head of the Federal Reserve, and she's now the first woman servin...

Authors Peng Shepard and Anne Tyler show that family is...complicated

06 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's first interview is with author Peng Shepard on her new mystery. A father and daughter, both cartographers, haven't spoken in seven years. But ...

Inspired by a true story, 'Nightcrawling' deals with sex work – and sexual abuse

05 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Inspired by a true story from Oakland, California, Leila Mottley's first novel follows a young Black girl who is sexually abused by a group of police ...

'Less is Lost' is the sequel to Andrew Greer's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel 'Less'

04 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Here & Now's Robin Young talks with author Andrew Sean Greer about his new novel Less is Lost, the sequel to his Pulitzer Prize-winni...

A futuristic novel about the powerful escaping to space echoes today's world

03 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Author Tochi Onyebuchi says that a majority of space stories he's come across favor those in power. Rich white people get to escape in spaceships, whe...

Romance, terror, and the supernatural in Isabel Cañas' debut novel 'The Hacienda'

02 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the aftermath of the Mexican war for independence, a new bride finds herself alone in a haunted house surrounded by people who don't believe her. I...

Two novels chronicle the mysterious disappearances of young women

30 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode centers around two books that explore the rippling consequences of violence against women. First, author Johanne Lykke Holm sits down ...

'My People' is a collection of stories – spanning decades – about Black America

29 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Charlayne Hunter-Gault is a trailblazing journalist. The first Black reporter for The New Yorker's "Talk of the Town" section, she's spent more than a...

'The Myth of Normal' explores why depression and illness rates are rising in the U.S.

28 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The United States is seeing some concerning trends when it comes to school shootings, deaths by suicide, overdoses and other unhealthy behaviors; they...

'Demon Copperhead' tackles opioids, poverty and resilience in Appalachia

27 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Novelist Barbara Kingsolver loves living in the Appalachian hills of southwestern Virginia. But she says she feels that the region is often misconstru...

'Our Book of Awesome' celebrates the small joys that can actually make us happier

26 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Bestselling author Neil Pasricha knows what it's like to feel down. Fifteen years ago, he was going through a difficult period in his life – so he s...

Two cookbooks for baking the sweetest holiday treats

23 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is all about dessert. Not just any dessert – chef-certified, tested and recommended baked goods that are sure to be the star of any ...

Olympic diver Tom Daley explains his love for knitting in 'Made With Love'

22 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How do professional athletes unwind? For Olympic gold medalist Tom Daley, the answer is simple: with a needle and some yarn. In today's episode, he sp...

In 'Grocery Shopping With My Mother,' a son becomes a caretaker

21 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Author Kevin Powell grew up without much physical affection. He says the first time someone tried to hug him was in college; it felt like a foreign co...

In 'Cursed Bunny,' horror takes unexpected forms

20 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Bora Chung's collection of short stories, Cursed Bunny, jumps across different characters and genres, but there's something a little sinister in nearl...

'The Future Is Analog' makes the case for logging off

19 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The pandemic accelerated the digitization of our lives. Work, school, dating, even worship – we learned to access and navigate all of it through our...

Patti Smith's photography and Kevin Nealon's caricatures offer a new perspective

16 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Patti Smith and Kevin Nealon are both stars for very different reasons; one is a punk legend, the other a standup comedian and SNL alum. But they have...

'We Deserve Monuments' highlights a queer, Black love story amidst a family mystery

15 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In Jas Hammonds' YA novel, We Deserve Monuments, high school senior Avery is faced with moving from Washington, D.C. to her mom's small hometown in Ge...

'The Black Family's Guide to College Admissions' traces the path to higher education

14 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Timothy Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown are college admissions experts, so they know how confusing and overwhelming the higher education system can b...

'The Light Pirate' depicts a dystopian Florida amidst climate catastrophes

13 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Climate displacement is already a reality. In Lily Brooks-Dalton's new novel The Light Pirate, which takes place in a near future, a family chooses to...

'Three Girls From Bronzeville' is a memoir about identity, opportunity and solidarity

12 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Journalist Dawn Turner grew up in Chicago's historic Bronzeville neighborhood in the '70s. Her memoir chronicles the dreams shared between her younger...

NPR recommends our favorite books of 2022, including Jennette McCurdy's memoir

09 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's the most wonderful time of the year – NPR's annual Books We Love! On today's episode, our host Andrew Limbong sits down with All Things Conside...

'All This Could Be Different' grapples with the beautiful chaos of post-college life

08 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sarah Thankam Mathews' debut novel takes place after the 2009 recession. The lead character, Sneha, just graduated college. Alone in the U.S. after he...

In 'So Help Me God,' Mike Pence considers how his faith shapes his politics

07 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Former Vice President Mike Pence says he's been demeaned and misunderstood for his evangelical Christian values. In his new book, So Help Me God, he d...

In 'They're Going to Love You,' a dancer's secret unravels lessons about forgiveness

06 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Author and former dancer Meg Howrey knows about the world of ballet. It's at the center of her new novel, They're Going to Love You, which finds an ad...

'How to Stand Up to a Dictator' dissects how disinformation can kill democracies

05 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Journalist and Nobel Prize winner Maria Ressa thinks the world is facing a sort of World War III – especially as it relates to information. Her new ...

Exploring immigration through a common experience: feeling like an outsider

02 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There is a common hurdle for many first generation immigrants: feeling out of place. Whether that's in school, speaking a different language, or livin...

In 'Lessons In Chemistry' a chemist is the star of...a cooking show?

01 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Bonnie Garmus' new novel Lessons In Chemistry has been getting a lot of buzz. Elizabeth Zott is a talented chemist but because it's the 1960s, she fac...

Poet Warsan Shire hopes you can make the voices in your head your friends

30 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Somali British poet Warsan Shire has had many projects, including running a popular Tumblr page and collaborating with Beyoncé. Now, she is out with ...

'Booth' looks at the family life of President Lincoln's notorious assassin

29 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Author Karen Joy Fowler thinks John Wilkes Booth craved attention – and that he's gotten his fair share of it. So her new novel, Booth, instead focu...

Author NoViolet Bulawayo's novel 'Glory' draws inspiration from the Orwellian

28 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Author NoViolet Bulawayo's new novel Glory is quite openly based on Orwell's Animal Farm and the 2017 coup in Zimbabwe that ousted then president Robe...

Two poetry collections find beauty in unexpected places

25 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Poet Franny Choi knows that marginalized communities have been facing apocalypses forever. But in her new book, The World Keeps Ending, and the World ...

In 'Sweet Land of Liberty,' pie recipes show how American values transform over time

24 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A lot of holiday tables will undoubtedly feature some kind of pie this year. But for food writer Rossi Anastopoulo, pies aren't just a baked dish – ...

Sci-fi elements help a family's story before and after warfare

23 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Displacement, identity and the aftermath of warfare are themes running through today's episode on The Haunting of Hajji Hotak. Author Jamil Jan Kochai...

'Control' chronicles the dark history of eugenics and its ongoing impact

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Adam Rutherford is a geneticist and author who just wrote a new book about the history of eugenics, and he tells NPR's Rebecca Ramirez that the politi...

In 'The Book of Jose,' Fat Joe remembers his rise in hip-hop

21 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Fat Joe's career spans three decades – but before he was performing on stages around the world, he was a little kid getting bullied in the Bronx. Hi...

Two books cover the Russia-Ukraine war from opposite perspectives

18 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, two nonfiction books explore the Russian invasion of Ukraine from two completely different experiences. First, 12-year-old Yeva Skali...

'Gods of Soccer' celebrates 100 of the world's best players

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Men in Blazers' Roger Bennett knows football – or soccer, as Americans call it. His new book, Gods of Soccer, lists 100 players who've made their ma...

Michelle Obama talks marriage, motherhood and 'going high' in 'The Light We Carry'

16 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Michelle Obama wants young people to know "going high" isn't about being complacent – it's about being strategic while pushing for change. In this e...

'Now Is Not the Time to Panic' captures a summer of teenage friendship and creativity

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Now Is Not the Time to Panic is a novel, but the relationship at its core comes from best-selling author Kevin Wilson's own young adulthood. Two teens...

'Fatty Fatty Boom Boom' details a lifelong relationship with food and body image

14 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When Rabia Chaudry's family moved from Pakistan to the U.S., her parents fully embraced the processed foods lining the grocery store aisles. But as th...

Two writers on building new careers and self-fulfillment through food

11 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, two cookbook authors recount their relationship with food and how it's led them to unlikely places. First, actor and TikTok sensation...

In 'Small Game,' a survival-challenge reality show takes a dark turn

10 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Blair Braverman knows the great outdoors. So it makes sense that the American adventurer and "Naked And Afraid" contestant's first novel, Small Game, ...

In 'Somewhere Sisters,' twins adopted by different families reunite

09 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Isabella and Ha are twin sisters, but they grew up oceans apart. Isabella was adopted by a white American couple in Illinois, while Ha was raised by h...

Bono writes about the faith and ecstasy of U2's music in 'Surrender'

08 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Bono probably needs no introduction at this point. In this episode, the U2 frontman, philanthropist and now author sits down with NPR's Rachel Martin ...

'If I Survive You' navigates family and identity in the Jamaican diaspora

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Jonathan Escoffery's debut collection of short stories follows the American-born son of Jamaican immigrants finding his place in the world and within ...

Two books examine how we listen to music and why it resonates with us

04 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The two books in today's episode explore how we construct meaning from the music we listen to. First, record producer Susan Rogers talks to WBUR's Rob...

In 'The Last Chairlift,' John Irving revisits familiar themes with a new perspective

03 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, NPR's Scott Simon pays best-selling author John Irving a visit in his Toronto home. Across from Irving's family photographs and slant...

'The Persuaders' finds power in bridging the political divide

02 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The U.S. is highly polarized – and author Anand Giridharadas thinks writing off people with different opinions is only going to make things worse. I...

In 'Signal Fires,' a tragic accident stretches across time, memory and family secrets

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Author Dani Shapiro spent 15 years working on Signal Fires, a novel about how a single accident changes the course of one family's life. In this episo...

'And There Was Light' traces Abraham Lincoln's views on slavery and religion

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Abraham Lincoln made history in 1863 when he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, effectively freeing enslaved people across the U.S. But he expected...

Two thrillers unfold in the shadows of Appalachia

28 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we share two interviews on novels that explore how horror can be found within – and beyond – the laws of nature. First, Megan Mi...

'Fen, Bog & Swamp' explains why the wetlands matter and why they're disappearing

27 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Pulitzer Prize winning-author Annie Proulx tells Leila Fadel that she learns by writing. So when she wanted to better understand the wetlands – and ...

'When We Were Sisters' details the pain and perseverance of orphanhood

26 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Poet and filmmaker Fatimah Asghar lost their parents at a young age. But they tell Scott Simon that they didn't grow up with a lot of stories that acc...

In 'Dying of Politeness,' Geena Davis says Susan Sarandon taught her to speak up

25 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Geena Davis is no stranger to the spotlight. But in her new memoir, Dying of Politeness, the Academy Award-winning actor remembers growing up full of ...

'Black Women Will Save the World' honors those on the frontlines of democracy

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

April Ryan and Ayesha Rascoe both know what it's like to cover the White House as Black women. In this episode, the two journalists discuss the import...

Two books highlight the role of food in creating the comfort of home

21 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we share two interviews on books that look at the ways in which food and family go hand in hand. First, NPR's Scott Simon talks to si...

'Mika in Real Life' focuses on identity and the diversity of parental bonds

20 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Young adult author Emiko Jean is out with her first book for adults – Mika in Real Life. In this episode, we hear Jean in conversation with WBUR's C...

'Less is Lost' is the sequel to Andrew Greer's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel 'Less'

19 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, WBUR's Robin Young talks with author Andrew Sean Greer about his new novel Less is Lost, the sequel to his Pulitzer Prize-winning Les...

Constance Wu writes about her trauma and ensuing judgment in memoir 'Making a Scene'

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In her memoir Making a Scene, actress Constance Wu writes about the sexual harassment and abuse she faced on her breakout show Fresh off the Boat, and...

Celeste Ng's 'Our Missing Hearts' explores a new dystopia through a teenager's eyes

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Celeste Ng's new novel Our Missing Hearts is set in a dystopian America, where children are taken away from their parents. The story is told from the ...

Two novels by Namwali Serpell explore borders and the mixed-race family

14 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, we hear two interviews with author Namwali Serpell. Her two novels look at some variation on what it means to be part of a mixed-race...

In 'You Gotta Be You,' Brandon Kyle Goodman says we should embrace who we are

13 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This conversation between NPR's Ailsa Chang and actor Brandon Kyle Goodman looks at authentic relationships and the performance of queerness. Goodman ...

'WARHOLCAPOTE' is a window into the relationship between two great, tortured minds

12 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Rob Roth's new play in book form, WARHOLCAPOTE, is what he calls a "non-fiction invention," created from found tapes of conversations between artist A...

Gay sons of immigrants talk about the weight they carry in 'Brown and Gay in LA'

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In Brown and Gay in LA, author Anthony Christian Ocampo interviews more than 60 gay sons of immigrant families about the fears that come with living a...

'Waging a Good War' explains civil rights movement in military strategy terms

10 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Distinguished war correspondent Thomas Ricks analyzes how civil rights movement protesters used military principles and strategies in his new book, Wa...

Two writers on friendships and how they shape us

07 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, NPR's Scott Simon interviews two writers whose books about friendship reckon with how people, and what we experience with them, make ...

Dick Ebersol's autobiography 'From Saturday Night to Sunday Night' spans his career

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Dick Ebersol was a major player in the world of American entertainment until his retirement over a decade ago. He co-created Saturday Night Live, and ...

'What If? 2' is Randall Munroe's second round of answers to absurd questions

05 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Randall Munroe's first book of scientific answers to the absurd questions people have was so popular that he wrote another one. In What If? 2, the aut...

'The Door of No Return' is a story for children about slavery

04 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kwame Alexander's new novel aimed at teens, The Door of No Return, focuses on the history of slavery. It follows a boy growing up in Ghana in 1860, an...

Hilary Mantel's 'Wolf Hall' examines the reign of King Henry VIII through his advisor

03 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In 2009, Hilary Mantel won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction for her novel Wolf Hall. Mantel died in September, and in this episode we hear former NPR ...

Two authors on writing unlikable characters and the power of storytelling

30 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The two books in today's episode point up how authors write and empathize with characters that aren't exactly likable. First we hear from Anthony Doer...

A futuristic novel about the powerful escaping to space echoes today's world

29 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Author Tochi Onyebuchi says that a majority of space stories he's come across favor those in power. Rich and white people get to escape in spaceships,...

A family grows and changes in graphic memoir 'It Won't Always Be Like This'

28 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In her new graphic memoir, It Won't Always Be Like This, NPR Editor Malaka Gharib revisits the summers she spent in Cairo, Egypt and how they shaped w...

'The Marriage Portrait' is a renaissance story of marriage, survival, and murder

27 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Marriage Portrait is Maggie O' Farrell's fictional interpretation of Lucrezia de Cosimo de Medici, who fights to survive her forced marriage with ...

'The Divider' looks at Trump's years in office through the eyes of his aides

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When former President Donald Trump was in office, a number of his aides said they wanted to quit out of concern for the country's political and milita...

Two YA books spark conversation about race and racial justice activism in youth

23 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today, YA adult novels – both of which have faced bans from schools and libraries – focus on conversations with kids regarding race and police bru...

'Daughter of Auschwitz' tells the harrowing story of a child Holocaust survivor

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tova Friedman says she's telling her story of having survived the Holocaust in her memoir, Daughter of Auschwitz, to honor the victims' memories. In a...

'The Unfolding' examines values of old, wealthy Republicans after Obama's election

21 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Unfolding examines the socio-political upheaval in the U.S. following the election of President Barack Obama – as seen through the lens of a wea...

Ruby Bridges recounts civil rights history through kid's eyes in new children's book

20 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In her new children's book, I Am Ruby Bridges, civil rights activist Ruby Bridges tells the story of how she was the first black child to desegregate ...

Zelenskyy aide gives insight on war in Ukraine in 'The Fight for Our Lives'

19 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Iuliia Mendel, press secretary to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, offers a peek behind the curtain in her new memoir, The Fight of Our Lives:...

Two authors explore ideals and stresses of Latino culture and immigration

16 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The two books featured in this episode are stories examining the difficulties and stressors of being Latino in America. First is I am Not Your Perfect...

Ken Starr gives an inside look on Clinton investigation in his memoir, 'Contempt'

15 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ken Starr's 2018 memoir, Contempt, gives an inside look into his investigation of the Clinton administration that led to President Clinton's impeachme...

'She's Nice Though' tackles the burdens of being nice

14 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mia Mercado's essay collection She's Nice Though: Essays on Being Bad at Being Good examines the reasons why one would want to be viewed as "nice." Sh...

'Dinners with Ruth' shows how friendship can flourish despite clashing careers

13 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In Dinners with Ruth: A Memoir on the Power of Friendships, NPR's own Nina Totenberg documents her friendship with Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and how it wou...

'Nickel and Dimed' is a window into the lives of low-wage workers

12 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In Nickel and Dimed, author Barbara Ehrenreich lives the life of a low-wage worker and explores how unsustainable poverty is, as well as how easy it c...

Two authors write about the importance of mental health and accessing feelings

09 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The two books featured in this episode focus on accessing feelings and mental health. First is a book of essays by spoken word artist, Bassey Ikpi. Ik...

Gaia Vince details how migration will help billions survive in new book

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The main argument Gaia Vince makes in her book Nomad Century is that in order for three to five billion people on Earth to survive, it will require a ...

'Touch' is a love story with elements of mystery, time, and loneliness

07 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Olaf Olafsson's new novel Touch is a combination of mystery, memories lost, and love. It puts the idea of "the one that got away" front and center and...

'Path Lit by Lightning' showcases Jim Thorpe's resilience until the end of his life

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the book Path Lit by Lightning, author David Maraniss does more than just write Jim Thorpe's life story. He delves into what caused misconceptions ...

'The Mamas' views parenting through the lenses of race, class, and gentrification

05 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to raising children, says Helena Andrews-Dyer, there are complicated dynamics connected to race and class – which she writes about in ...

Magical realism and identity explored in Salman Rushdie's books

02 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This episode features two different books by one author: Salman Rushdie. And while the two stories differ, recurrent themes of magical realism and the...

In 'Electable,' Ali Vitali explores the glass ceiling for women in politics

01 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In Electable: Why America Hasn't Put a Woman in the White House... Yet, author Ali Vitali explores why the glass ceiling separating women from the hi...

Emma Donoghue revisits isolation and faith (with many birds) in new book 'Haven'

31 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Author Emma Donoghue "seem to enjoy the stimulus of going to an entirely new place." That's precisely what she does in her new book 'Haven'; it's abou...

'The Stolen Year' details how politics and pandemic magnified inequality in education

30 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Author Anya Kamenetzwas covering education for NPR when the pandemic started spreading in the U.S. She says she saw how political affiliation, divisio...

Abdulrazak Gurnah's 'Afterlives' highlights nuances of colonization in East Africa

29 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In Abdulrazak Gurnah's Afterlives, the characters centered in the novel offer different perspectives of ordinary people under German colonization in E...

Paula Hawkins and Amanda Jayatissa highlight class inequality via mystery

26 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The two books in this episode are thrillers that center class as the theme of the narrative. First up is A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins that the...

Sidik Fofana addresses how complicated gentrification is in debut story collection

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sidik Fofana's short story collection can be best described as "addressing the notion that gentrification is complicated." Those were Fofana's words t...

Ellen Jovin travels across the U.S. in search of grammar questions and answers

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The author of Rebel With a Clause traveled to more than 40 states to document how grammar is used in relationships, work conversations and everyday li...