NPR's Book of the Day

Ann Patchett's new novel brings a mother and daughters together during 2020 lockdown

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Lara, the protagonist of Ann Patchett's Tom Lake, finds a silver lining during the frightening first few months of the COVID pandemic: her three adult...

Two novels depict young men understanding themselves and the danger around them

11 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode features two novels with two very different protagonists, though their journeys might have more in common than appears at first glance...

In 'Soul Boom,' Rainn Wilson calls for a spiritual revolution

10 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Actor Rainn Wilson says he's "always identified as being a dork and a misfit and an outsider." In fact, he says that's probably why he found so much s...

In 'Miles Morales Suspended,' Spider-Man grapples with racism and saving the world

09 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Miles Morales, the beloved protagonist of Jason Reynolds' Spider-Man novel, is back. And this time, he's dealing with in-school suspension for challen...

'Soil' weaves together a poet's experience of gardening, race and community

08 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For poet Camille Dungy, environmental justice, community interdependence and political engagement go hand in hand. She explores those relationships in...

Bangles cofounder Susanna Hoffs' first novel follows a one-hit wonder, 10 years later

07 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The protagonist of Susanna Hoffs' debut novel, Jane Start, probably listens to Dionne Warwick to hype herself up in the morning. Start is 33 and livin...

Two books dive into the history of minimalist music and the origins of the saxophone

04 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is all about music history. First, musicologists Kerry O'Brien and William Robin tell NPR's Noah Caldwell about their new book, On Min...

Madhur Jaffrey celebrates 50 years of 'An Invitation to Indian Cooking'

03 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode comes to you straight from Madhur Jaffrey's kitchen. NPR's Michel Martin pays the celebrated chef and actor a visit in her New York ho...

Poet Hanif Abdurraqib reflects on the ways grief has shaped his spirituality

02 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In his new book, A Little Devil in America, poet Hanif Abdurraqib writes about music in such a way that NPR's Rachel Martin wanted to focus a conversa...

'Monsters' examines fandom and how we consume art by morally compromised people

01 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the midst of the #MeToo movement in 2017, Claire Dederer posed a difficult question in The Paris Review: "What Do We Do With the Art of Monstrous M...

'The Collector' follows a fictional spy's quest to track down a real stolen painting

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Johannes Vermeer's 1664 masterpiece "The Concert" was stolen from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in 1990. That real - still unsolved - case is at...

Two children's books show the comfort kids can find in darkness

28 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is all about young readers and the ways they interact with complicated emotions. First, NPR's Julie Depenbrock speaks with Jon Klassen...

In her memoir, designer Aurora James examines representation and equality in fashion

27 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Aurora James is the designer behind the fashion brand Brother Vellies and the 15% pledge, an initiative that encourages major retailers to stock more ...

'Nobody's Fool' explains the science behind falling for scams – and how not to

26 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In their new book, Nobody's Fool, psychology professor Daniel Simons and cognitive scientist Christopher Chabris make the case that people don't just ...

'The Best Possible Experiences' captures immigrant experience through short stories

25 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, author Nishanth Injam tells NPR's Sacha Pfeiffer that when he first arrived in the U.S. from India, he wondered if he'd made a hug...

'The Rachel Incident' looks back on early-20s friendships, love and mistakes

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The new novel The Rachel Incident is rooted around a wonderful, messy friendship. Rachel and James live together, party, and get themselves into a pec...

Dennis Lehane and Jake Tapper pen new novels set in the 1970s

21 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode takes us back in time to American society in the '70s. First, NPR's Scott Simon speaks with author Dennis Lehane about Small Mercies, ...

'The Apartment' follows the residents of a Miami Beach building over decades

20 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ana Menéndez's novel The Apartment starts decades – maybe centuries – before the art deco building named The Helena is built in South Beach, and ...

'When Crack Was King' chronicles the misunderstood history of the crack epidemic

19 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In his new nonfiction book, When Crack Was King, Donovan X. Ramsey explores how the crack cocaine epidemic of the '80s and '90s shaped people, neighbo...

'Ripe' tackles the dark side of Silicon Valley

18 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Cassie, the main character of Sarah Rose Etter's novel Ripe, has hit a wall. She's burned out at her toxic Silicon Valley job, she's disillusioned by ...

'Temple Folk' conveys the experiences of Black Muslims through short stories

17 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Early in today's episode, Aaliyah Bilal says she knows that a lot of people associate the Nation of Islam with hate. But in her new collection of shor...

A Douglas Stuart double feature! 'Shuggie Bain' and 'Young Mungo'

14 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Both interviews today are with author Douglas Stuart. The first is about his Booker prize-winning Shuggie Bain; a story based on his own life growing ...

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

13 Jul 2023

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 face...

How to manage a disaster in 'The Devil Never Sleeps'

12 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Former Homeland Security official and author Juliette Kayyem has a new book out that encourages preparedness. The Devil Never Sleeps makes the case th...

Novel 'Four Treasures of the Sky' focuses on the horrors of the Chinese Exclusion Act

11 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Author Jenny Tinghui Zhang is out with a new historical fiction novel, Four Treasures of The Sky. Set in the 1800s during the height of anti-Chinese s...

Poet Ocean Vuong shares his grief in 'Time Is A Mother'

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ocean Vuong's new collection, Time Is A Mother, is about his grief after losing family members. Vuong told Morning Edition's Rachel Martin that time i...

Books by Vashti Harrison and Dolly Parton teach kids about self-love and courage

07 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is about two children's books with very big themes. First, author-illustrator Vashti Harrison speaks with NPR's Juana Summers about Bi...

'Brotherless Night' examines the Sri Lankan Civil War through the eyes of one family

06 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

V.V. Ganeshananthan's new novel, Brotherless Night, dives into the Sri Lankan Civil War through the story of Sashi, a 16-year-old girl who dreams of b...

'Wonder Drug' traces the dark history of thalidomide and the birth defects it caused

05 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1960s, FDA inspector Frances Kelsey was assigned her first drug to review: thalidomide. Her thorough investigation led her to discover that the...

Adrienne Brodeur's novel 'Little Monsters' uncovers family secrets in Cape Cod

04 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Little Monsters is the story of two adult siblings, Ken and Abby Gardner, who were raised by their widowed father in Cape Cod. As their dad's 70th bir...

Fae Myenne Ng's memoir examines the Chinese Exclusion Act's impact on families

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Orphan Bachelors, the title of Fae Myenne Ng's new memoir, is a reference to the many "grandpas" she had while growing up in San Francisco's Chinatow...

Two novels explore the complexities of parent-child relationships

30 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is all about parents, their adult children, and the frustration and forgiveness that can come to a head in those relationships. First,...

'Jeopardy!' host Ken Jennings pens a travel guide to the afterlife

29 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ken Jennings is well-known for winning – and hosting – Jeopardy! Now, he's got a new book out full of pop culture knowledge and research: 100 Plac...

Kenny Smith's memoir 'Talk of Champions' looks back at a career shaped by the NBA

28 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kenny "The Jet" Smith's life has largely revolved around basketball in one way or another. The basketball commentator, Inside the NBA host and two-tim...

J. Ryan Stradal's new novel pays homage to the supper clubs of the upper Midwest

27 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

J. Ryan Stradal knows about supper club culture in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the rest of the northern midwest – he grew up in a town where those din...

Frances Haugen's memoir looks back on why she blew the whistle on Facebook

26 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Frances Haugen came forward as the Facebook whistleblower in 2021, shortly after she exposed more than 20,000 documents proving that the company's alg...

'The Postcard' and 'Good Night, Irene' detail how WWII impacted two families

23 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode features two novels intertwining family and wartime history. First, Anne Berest speaks with NPR's Scott Simon about The Postcard, base...

In her memoir 'Wannabe,' Aisha Harris examines how '90s pop culture shaped her

22 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As an NPR critic, Pop Culture Happy Hour host Aisha Harris helps make sense of how movies, music and TV inform our everyday lives. In her new book of ...

Greg Marshall's memoir 'Leg' recounts growing up with cerebral palsy

21 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Greg Marshall grew up with parents battling health issues: cancer and ALS. Marshall had his own health scares – he struggled with his leg and mobili...

'Loot' traces the love, war and art that shaped India's colonial history

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In her new novel Loot, Tania James writes of a 17-year-old woodworker who's commissioned to build a tiger automaton for the Indian ruler Tipu Sultan i...

Paul McCartney's new book of photographs looks back at Beatlemania in 1964

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Between 1963 and 1964, The Beatles blew up to become one of the most internationally renowned bands in history. Though images of the screaming fans an...

Two books examine the evolution of the English language

16 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode features interviews with two authors who are very invested in the English language. First, NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with Hana Videen...

'The Talk' is a graphic memoir about the experiences of Black children and parents

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Darrin Bell was six years old, he had an encounter with a police officer. That event, which he kept secret for ...

Inspired by P-22, 'Open Throat' follows a queer mountain lion's lonely survival in LA

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When P-22 – the puma that lived in LA's Griffith Park – died in December, Angelenos mourned the loss of one of their wildest celebrities. In his n...

'Between Two Moons' is a coming-of-age story set during Ramadan

13 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The summer after high school graduation is full of promise. But for twin sisters Amira and Lina, the return of their brother from prison complicates s...

'Built from the Fire' traces the impact of the Tulsa Race Massacre

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Oklahoma state Rep. Regina Goodwin is a descendant of survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The racist violence, which killed hundreds of Black T...

Stacey Abrams and James Comey pen novels about crime and government

09 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode features interviews with two very high-profile officials who have written thrillers. First, voting rights activist and former Georgia ...

'Borderless' is a YA novel about a teenage migrant separated from her mother

08 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jennifer De Leon's new YA novel, Borderless, tells the story of a Guatemalan teenager named Maya. Though she has a rich and fulfilling life in her hom...

'Flawless' provides a deeply reported look into Korean beauty standards

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Elise Hu moved to Seoul, South Korea to set up an NPR bureau and report on the geopolitical tensions of the mid-2010s. But her new book, Flawless: Les...

In 'Dances,' a Black ballerina navigates immense pressure and expectations

06 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In Nicole Cuffy's novel, Dances, CeCe Cordell becomes the first Black woman to be named principal dancer at a major ballet company; but this big break...

Rachel Louise Snyder's memoir traces a life shaped by patriarchy and religion

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Journalist Rachel Louise Snyder has covered gender-based violence around the world for a number of media outlets and in her widely-acclaimed book, No ...

Two poets pen memoirs about the relationships that shaped their writing

02 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode features interviews with two poets who revealed different sides of themselves through memoirs. First, Maggie Smith speaks with NPR's M...

In 'The Kingmaker,' romantic sparks fly at a pipeline protest

01 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kennedy Ryan's The Kingmaker portrays two seemingly opposite characters – a Yavapai-Apache activist and the heir to an oil fortune – falling in lo...

'Undaunted' provides a thorough history of the women who blazed trails in journalism

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For decades, male editors told women they couldn't be reporters because of congenital inaccuracies, or because they required having a male escort to r...

In 'The Guest,' a sex worker wreaks havoc on the glitzy social scene at the Hamptons

30 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Alex is 22 years old and staying with a much older, wealthy man in the Hamptons. She's the protagonist of Emma Cline's new novel, an outsider looking ...

'Break the Wheel' examines police violence and accountability

29 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's been three years since George Floyd's murder. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison prosecuted the former police officers who killed Floyd, bu...

Jerry Seinfeld and Tom Hanks reflect on personal and professional longevity

26 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode features interviews with two monumental performers. First, Jerry Seinfeld chats with Here & Now's Robin Young about his new book, insp...

Cassandra Jackson's memoir looks back on a how tragic accident shaped her family

25 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Before author Cassandra Jackson was even born, her father's family suffered a major loss – a car accident that resulted in the deaths of five people...

In a new anthology, Justice Roe Williams rethinks fitness to be more inclusive

24 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As a certified personal trainer, Justice Roe Williams knows the benefits of exercising regularly– but as a Black trans man, he's also experienced ho...

R.F. Kuang's 'Yellowface' tackles cultural appropriation in publishing

23 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Early in the novel Yellowface, a prominent Asian-American writer, Athena Liu, dies. Her white friend, who is struggling to break through in publishing...

A new biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. explores the activist's life and faith

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

King:A Life, the new biography by Jonathan Eig, provides a fresh perspective into the life of one of America's most important activists. From his upbr...

Two books look back on family histories and secrets

19 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is about untangling and understanding untold family stories. First, Burkhard Bilger speaks with NPR's Scott Simon about his memoir, Fa...

Lucinda Williams' memoir looks back on a career defying expectations

18 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Suitcases symbolize a lot for three-time Grammy winner Lucinda Williams. She tells NPR's Juana Summers she keeps a briefcase of musical references to ...

'Late Bloomers' is a novel about arranged marriage, divorce and dating later in life

17 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dating can be difficult and confusing at any age – but especially after the end of a 36-year arranged marriage. The characters of Deepa Varadarajan'...

Matika Wilbur honors and celebrates Native American Tribal Nations in 'Project 562'

16 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Matika Wilbur is from the Swinomish and Tulalip tribes in Washington state. In 2012, she left Seattle with one goal: to photograph and interview membe...

In 'The Covenant of Water,' Abraham Verghese traces an Indian family's drowning curse

15 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Covenant of Water follows three generations of a family in the coastal state of Kerala, India, where they're haunted by a devastating event, over ...

Two novels depict young men understanding themselves and the danger around them

12 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode features two novels with two very different protagonists, though their journeys might have more in common than appears at first glance...

In 'Soul Boom,' Rainn Wilson calls for a spiritual revolution

11 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Actor Rainn Wilson says he's "always identified as being a dork and a misfit and an outsider." In fact, he says that's probably why he found so much s...

In 'Miles Morales Suspended,' Spider-Man grapples with racism and saving the world

10 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Miles Morales, the beloved protagonist of Jason Reynolds' Spider-Man novel, is back. And this time, he's dealing with in-school suspension for challen...

'Soil' weaves together a poet's experience of gardening, race and community

09 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For poet Camille Dungy, environmental justice, community interdependence and political engagement go hand in hand. She explores those relationships in...

Bangles cofounder Susanna Hoffs' first novel follows a one-hit wonder, 10 years later

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The protagonist of Susanna Hoffs' debut novel, Jane Start, probably listens to Dionne Warwick to hype herself up in the morning. Start is 33 and livin...

'My Powerful Hair' and 'Contenders' tell stories of Indigenous heritage

05 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode features two children's books about Indigenous Americans. Here & Now's Deepa Fernandes speaks with author Carole Lindstrom and illustr...

Rep. Katie Porter writes about being a working mom in Congress in 'I Swear'

04 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Congresswoman and former professor Katie Porter is known for showing up to hearings with a whiteboard to explain complicated topics. She's now written...

How author Dionne Ford found healing in the story of her enslaved ancestors

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

NPR's Andrew Limbong talks with Dionne Ford about her new book, Go Back and Get It: A Memoir of Race, Inheritance, and Intergenerational Healing. In i...

Musician Questlove and crime writer S.A. Cosby on their new children's book

02 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the new children's book The Rhythm of Time from crime writer S.A. Cosby and musician Questlove, time is like a song. That's what they told NPR's Ay...

Mary Louise Kelly on her memoir 'It. Goes. So. Fast. The Year of No Do-Overs'

01 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In her new memoir, All Things Considered co-host Mary Louise Kelly talks about the time she got a call from her son's school nurse while she was board...

Two novels offer new perspectives on the women of Greek mythology

28 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode starts with a familiar feeling – the way your heart drops when a book character that you love doesn't get the outcome you wanted for...

'Redaction' examines criminal justice via portraits, poems written from legal papers

27 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Reginald Dwayne Betts and Titus Kaphar knew they were meant to work together when they first met. In 2019, they exhibited a project at MoMA PS1 that e...

'The Queen of Dirt Island' captures the bond between women in an Irish family

26 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Donal Ryan's new novel, The Queen of Dirt Island, centers its women characters. He tells NPR's Mary Louise Kelly that making the men peripheral wasn't...

How Indian migrant workers escaped human trafficking in Mississippi

25 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is a true story that reads like a novel. In 2006, author and labor organizer Saket Soni received a call from an Indian migrant worker....

NPR's Ari Shapiro looks back on reporting, singing and touring in new memoir

24 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ari Shapiro's voice might be familiar to listeners for a number of reasons. He's one of the hosts of All Things Considered; he also sings and tours wi...

Two nonfiction books examine grief and its impact on memory

21 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode covers two very different stories involving personal loss and what comes after. First, author Laura Braitman tells NPR's Sacha Pfeiffe...

'Decent People' is a murder mystery grappling with race in the segregated South

20 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a small North Carolina town in 1976, three siblings are shot to death. That's the mystery at the center of De'Shawn Charles Winslow's new book, Dec...

Author Azar Nafisi says books can help you really live

19 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Author Azar Nafisi has written a love letter to literature and reading in Read Dangerously: The Subversive Power of Literature in Troubled Times. She ...

In 'Romantic Comedy,' Curtis Sittenfeld flips the gendered tropes

18 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From Notting Hill to the real-life relationships of several SNL writers with Hollywood starlets – to even the new Barbie movie tagline ("She's every...

'The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi' calls a mother and former pirate back to the sea

17 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Amina Al-Sirafi, the protagonist of Shannon Chakraborty's new novel, commanded the Indian Ocean as one of its most notorious pirates during the 12th c...

Two novels find siblings confronting the evils around them

14 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is all about the complexities of sibling relationships, especially when the family is surrounded by hostile circumstances. First, NPR'...

In 'Empireland,' Sathnam Sanghera takes a closer look at the UK's imperialist history

13 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sathnam Sanghera's new book, Empireland, focuses on how British imperialism shaped the trajectory of that country's history. But as he emphasizes in h...

Colleen Oakley's new roadtrip novel takes inspiration from 'Thelma and Louise'

12 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tanner and Louise have a 63 year age difference and pretty opposite personalities: Tanner is a former college athlete, hitting what she thinks is rock...

In 'A Living Remedy,' Nicole Chung reflects on anger, grief and failed systems

11 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nicole Chung's first memoir, All You Can Ever Know, recounts her story growing up adopted – a young Asian American woman in a predominantly white to...

Lizzie Stark traces the history and cultural impact of the 'Egg'

10 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The egg can be found anywhere from a breakfast plate to an Easter basket to a science museum. As author Lizzie Stark details in her new book, Egg: A D...

Two books trace enslaved people's journey to freedom in the 19th century

07 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode features two books examining the sacrifices made by enslaved people in the U.S. First, NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with author Ilyan Wo...

In 'The Survivalists,' doomsday prepping becomes a way to regain control

06 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Comedy writer Kashana Cauley grew up watching the film Conspiracy Theory, starring Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts, with her parents. She says that's lik...

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

05 Apr 2023

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...

In 'Bad Cree,' a horror mystery unfolds in the aftermath of loss and colonialism

04 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Jessica Johns' thriller, Bad Cree, opens with a startling image: a severed crow's head in someone's hand. In today's episode, Johns tells NPR's Ayesha...

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

03 Apr 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...

'Hello Beautiful' and 'Pineapple Street' examine the closeness between sisters

31 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode is all about family. First, Ann Napolitano speaks with NPR's Scott Simon about her new novel, Hello Beautiful, and the intergeneration...

Patricia Park's new YA novel captures the complexities of race and adolescence

30 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim follows a Korean-Argentinian teen's journey to understanding who she is. Through the comfort ...

'I Am Debra Lee: A Memoir' recounts triumphs and challenges as the former CEO of BET

29 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Debra Lee is one of the most influential women in the entertainment industry. But as the former CEO of Black Entertainment Television reveals in her n...

Fandom acts as an antidote for loneliness in 'Y/N'

28 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The title of Esther Yi's novel Y/N refers to an abbreviation for "your name" as it appears in a type of fan fiction where readers put themselves into ...