NPR's Book of the Day
Episodes
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 ...
'Poverty, By America' argues America profits by keeping people poor
27 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Why does poverty persist in one of the world's wealthiest countries? Because it's profitable, argues sociologist Matthew Desmond, in Poverty, By Ameri...
Two books warn about the privacy implications of AI and neurotechnology
24 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode is all about tech. First, Paul Scharre of the Center for a New American Security speaks with NPR's Ari Shapiro about his new book, Fou...
'That's hot': Paris Hilton is ready to tell her own story
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Paris Hilton is ubiquitous with early 2000s pop culture: She graced the cover of magazines, her own reality TV show and even Billboard charts. But the...
Dina Nayeri wants you to question 'Who Gets Believed'
22 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Author Dina Nayeri was young when she found out that there's a stark difference between credibility and belief – and it's a disconnect at the center...
In 'Dust Child,' the impacts of the Vietnam War are felt decades later
21 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai's new novel, Dust Child, takes a closer look at the often-fraught relationships between Vietnamese women and American soldiers...
A new biography of first lady Edith Wilson examines her political influence
20 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Edith Wilson dated and then married Woodrow Wilson while he served as president of the United States in 1915. In her new biography, Untold Power: The ...
From the Astros to Colin Kaepernick, two books revisit monumental sports stories
17 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode is all about sports. First, The Athletic reporter Evan Drellich speaks with NPR's A Martinez about his investigation into the Astros' ...
'Your Driver is Waiting' takes a modern spin on 'Taxi Driver'
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Who would Travis Bickle– the protagonist of the 1976 film Taxi Driver – be today? That question sparked the new novel by Priya Guns, Your Driver I...
Sparked by the pandemic, Katherine May searches for 'Enchantment' in nature
15 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Katherine May, like so many other people, found herself submerged in anxiety and restlessness during COVID-19 lockdowns. But as cities reopened, she l...
In 'What Happened to Ruthy Ramirez,' a family struggles with a child's disappearance
14 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ruthy Ramirez, the 13-year-old middle child of a Puerto Rican family in Staten Island, vanished without a trace. But more than a decade later, as the ...
Margaret Atwood ponders aging, fantasy and George Orwell in 'Old Babes in the Wood'
13 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Margaret Atwood has been writing for a long time – and as she tells NPR's Leila Fadel, the world looks very different today than it did when she sta...
Two memoirs tell life-altering stories through illustrations
10 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode focuses on two pretty different graphic memoirs. First, artist Kendra Neely – who survived the 2015 shooting at Umpqua Community Col...
'A Stone Is Most Precious Where It Belongs' is a memoir of the Uyghur experience
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Describing home for journalist Gulchehra Hoja is complicated. She's from western China, in the Xinjiang province. But as she tells NPR's Steve Inskeep...
'All the Beauty in the World' is a museum guard's view on healing through art
08 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Patrick Bringley worked in events planning at The New Yorker – until his older brother got diagnosed with cancer and passed away. That loss led to a...
Beth Moore says misogyny pushed her to leave the Southern Baptist Convention
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Beth Moore was raised in the Southern Baptist Convention. As an adult, she went on to become an evangelist, teaching Bible studies to women in arenas ...
In 'Dyscalculia,' Camonghne Felix reckons with heartbreak as a form of trauma
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The critically acclaimed poet Camonghne Felix says that people going through breakups are not often treated with the same grace or generosity as those...
Sen. Bernie Sanders and Malcolm Harris take a closer look at wealth and capitalism
03 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode features interviews with two people who've given a lot of thought to capitalism's role in modern society. First, Sen. Bernie Sanders s...
In 'My Selma,' Willie Mae Brown recalls growing up during the Civil Rights Movement
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Willie Mae Brown was a little girl in Selma, Alabama in the 1960s. In her new YA book, My Selma, she recalls growing up during the height of the Civil...
In 'The Darker the Night,' a murder in Glasgow unravels a political investigation
01 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Early on in The Darker the Night, the debut thriller from NPR producer Martin Patience, an investigative reporter links a murder in Glasgow to a signi...
Jean D'Amérique's novel 'A Sun to Be Sewn' grapples with violence in Haiti
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jean D'Amérique says he grew up in a neighborhood where "it was easier to find a gun than a book." But as he tells NPR's Ari Shapiro, falling in love...
Bozoma Saint John opens up about trauma, grief and healing in 'The Urgent Life'
27 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Bozoma Saint John says that the loss of her first daughter, who was born prematurely because of preeclampsia, left deep scars in her relationship with...
Two children's books examine the meaning of home
24 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode features two children's books that touch on the topic of home in one way or another. First, musician Rhiannon Giddens speaks with NPR'...
From cowboy boots to polyamory, 'Wanting' explores what it means for women to desire
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Margot Kahn and Kelly McMasters know that wanting is a very particular feeling. What women desire is constantly changing, of course: time, money, sex,...
'Up With The Sun' traces actor Dick Kallman's short-lived career – up to his murder
22 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Up With The Sun is the newest historical novel from acclaimed author Thomas Mallon – with a real-life actor at its center. Dick Kallman's career ros...
'Call and Response' is an ode to the women and girls of Botswana
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Gothataone Moeng says she knows the characters in her collection of short stories, Call and Response. They bear similarities to her sisters, cousins, ...
Greta Thunberg hopes 'The Climate Book' is a launching pad for environmental activism
20 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Greta Thunberg has become a household name – but she doesn't want the attention on her to become a distraction from the severity of the climate cris...
'How Far The Light Reaches' dives into the deep sea for lessons on community and care
17 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The deep sea – and the creatures that occupy it – can often feel like a scary and intimidating unknown. But in Sabrina Imbler's new book, How Far ...
'The End of Drum-Time' captures a complicated love story in an Arctic community
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hanna Pylväinen's new novel, The End of Drum-Time, opens with the ground quite literally shaking beneath a Lutheran congregation. It sets the tone fo...
'The House of Eve' explores Black motherhood and associated stigma in the 1950s
15 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the 1950s, pregnancy and adoption were topics often clouded in shame, secrecy – or both. That's certainly true for Eleanor and Ruby, the two prot...
'The Ransomware Hunting Team' tracks the rise of cybercrime and the fight to solve it
14 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Here & Now's Scott Tong describes ransomware as "a high-tech version of kidnapping." It's when a computer or tech system is hacked and money is demand...
'What Napoleon Could Not Do' occupies the space between African and American identity
13 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There are three central characters in DK Nnuro's new novel, What Napoleon Could Not Do. Belinda and Jacob are Ghanaian siblings who aspire to move to ...
Two YA novels create well-rounded portraits of Black characters coming of age
10 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode covers two YA novels centered around Black youth and the portrayals they receive – or don't – in coming-of-age literature. First, ...
In 'The World And All That It Holds,' two soldiers fall in love during World War I
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The World And All That It Holds starts off in Sarajevo, in 1914, when shots ring out and World War I begins. It changes the course of protagonist Rafa...
In 'And Finally,' a neurosurgeon comes to terms with his own cancer diagnosis
08 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Early on in today's episode, NPR's Scott Simon asks Dr. Henry Marsh a question – how could a medical professional miss the signs that they themselve...
NBA dreams come true in 'The Sense of Wonder.' But at what cost?
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Won Lee, the protagonist of the novel The Sense of Wonder, is the only Asian American player in the NBA. But as was true for real-life basketball star...
Through short stories, 'The Faraway World' encompasses the Latin American diaspora
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Patricia Engel's new collection of short stories, The Faraway World, reaches into the lives of imaginary characters scattered throughout Latin America...
Two novels take a closer look at class and gender in Indian society
03 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode features two books that examine wealth – or lack thereof – and gender in India. First, Deepti Kapoor chats with NPR's Scott Simon ...
In 'Beaverland,' Leila Philip credits the beaver with building America
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Journalist Leila Philip first became interested in beavers when she saw a group of rodents building a pond near her house. Her fascination with what t...
'Shubeik Lubeik' imagines a world where you can buy and sell wishes
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In Arabic, the rhyme Shubeik Lubeik means "your wish is my command." So it's an apt title for a new graphic novel by Deena Mohamed, which explores a w...
In 'The Survivalists,' doomsday prepping becomes a way to regain control
31 Jan 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...
'Sorry, Sorry, Sorry' believes in the power of a good apology
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Saying sorry can be really difficult sometimes – it requires a certain amount of accountability, reflection and empathy. But that's precisely why it...
Two books trace enslaved people's journey to freedom in the 19th century
27 Jan 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 'Bad Cree,' a horror mystery unfolds in the aftermath of loss and colonialism
26 Jan 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...
'Life on Delay' chronicles what it means to live with – and accept – a stutter
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In 2019, John Hendrickson wrote a piece for The Atlantic about then-presidential candidate Joe Biden's life with a stutter. Hendrickson himself stutte...
'Decent People' is a murder mystery grappling with race in the segregated South
24 Jan 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...
'You Just Need to Lose Weight' aims to change your thinking about being 'fat'
23 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Author and podcast host Aubrey Gordon brings up an important reminder early in today's episode: In the United States, the average size is plus-sized. ...
Susan Kuklin and Maia Kobabe's books explore gender identity throughout adolescence
20 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode features interviews with two authors whose books on trans and queer gender identity are facing challenges in school districts across t...
Art Spiegelman reissues 'Breakdowns' with new perspective on book bans
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Author and cartoonist Art Spiegelman is familiar with the hysteria surrounding certain library books. In today's episode, he tells NPR's Scott Simon a...
'All Boys Aren't Blue' honors coming of age as a queer Black boy
18 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Author George M. Johnson says they knew their memoir, All Boys Aren't Blue, would be challenged by school boards – but they didn't realize just how ...
In 'New Kid,' a Black seventh grader navigates a new school
17 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jordan Banks, the protagonist of New Kid, is a seventh grade student who loves to draw and hopes to one day become a cartoonist. But the graphic novel...
Bans on books like 'Out of Darkness' target authors of color
16 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Ashley Hope Pérez's book Out of Darkness explores school segregation in 20th century Texas through a fictional love story between a young A...
Steve Martin, Harry Bliss and Nick Hornby take different approaches to working hard
13 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Today's episode is all about professional longevity. First, actor Steve Martin and New Yorker cartoonist Harry Bliss sit down with NPR's Mary Louise K...
In 'Winterland,' a Soviet Union gymnast navigates a grueling responsibility
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Anya is only 8 years old, but she's already got the weight of a nation on her shoulders. The protagonist of Winterland lives in an isolated Arctic tow...
In 'Song of Silver, Flame Like Night,' Chinese mythology teaches lessons about power
11 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Amélie Wen Zhao's fantasy novel, Song of Silver, Flame Like Night, is rooted in the Chinese genres of xianxia and wuxia. It follows a young girl unco...