Reader's Corner
Episodes
"When McKinsey Comes to Town” by Walt Bogdanich
18 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Walt Bogdanich, co-author of the new book, When McKinsey Comes to Town. The book offers a portrait of a company whose work has often...
“The War Below” by Ernest Scheyder
11 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Ernest Scheyder, author of The War Below. The book offers an illuminating look at the stakes in the new fight surrounding the extrac...
“Kings and Pawns” by Howard Bryant
04 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Howard Bryant, author of the new book, Kings and Pawns. The book offers an untold story of sports and fame, Black America and the pr...
“Everybody Loses” by Danny Funt
28 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Danny Funt, author of Everybody Loses. The book is a stunning exposé on the massive and perilous world of American sports gambling.
“Metamorphosis” by Oren Harman
21 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Oren Harman, author of the new book, Metamorphosis. The book is a modern classic of natural history, offering an inspiring look at w...
"Starry and Restless" by Julia Cooke
14 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Julia Cooke, author of the new book, Starry and Restless. The book shares the gripping story of three women reporters and the way th...
“Wild Horse Country” by David Philipps
07 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with David Philipps about his book, Wild Horse Country.
“The Blue Horse” by Bruce Borgos
28 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Bruce Borgos, author of the new book, The Blue Horse. In the book, a controversial wild horse round-up in the high desert of Nevada ...
“Epic Disruptions” by Scott D. Anthony
21 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Scott D. Anthony, author of Epic Disruptions. The book offers both innovators and curious listeners alike a fascinating exploration ...
"A Day in the Life of Abed Salama” by Nathan Thrall
14 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Note: This is an encore edition of Reader’s Corner. The episode originally aired in April 2024.An interview with Nathan Thrall, author of the new bo...
“Everybody Loses” by Danny Funt
07 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Danny Funt, author of Everybody Loses. The book is a stunning exposé on the massive and perilous world of American sports gambling.
“Dirtbag Billionaire” by David Gelles
31 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with David Gelles, author of Dirtbag Billionaire. The book reveals how Patagonia became a global leader via its unorthodox and socially-r...
“Fair Doses” by Dr. Seth Berkley
24 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Dr. Seth Berkley, author of Fair Doses. The book gives the history of how vaccines became the world's most powerful health intervent...
“Fighting the Night” by Paul Hendrickson
17 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Paul Hendrickson, author of the book, Fighting the Night. The book is a moving story of his father’s wartime service as a night fi...
“The Predicament” by William Boyd
10 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with William Boyd, author of the thrilling new novel, The Predicament. The book is Boyd’s second installment in the bestselling espiona...
“So Far Gone” by Jess Walter
03 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Jess Walter, author of the new novel, So Far Gone. The book follows a man reemerging from seclusion only to find himself thrust into...
“Mr. Dickens and His Carol” by Samantha Silva
27 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Samantha Silva about her novel, “Mr. Dickens and His Carol.” The book re-imagines the twists and turns that led Charles Dickens ...
“Scrim” by Kaye Courington
20 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Kaye Courington, author of Scrim: A New Orleans Story of Resilience and Rescue. The illustrated book tells the true story of a scrap...
“The Mission” by Tim Weiner
13 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Tim Weiner, acclaimed journalist and author of the new book, The Mission. The book is comprehensive look at the CIA in the 21st cent...
“The Folly of Realism” by Alexander Vindman
06 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Alexander Vindman, author of The Folly of Realism. The book offers a chilling analysis of how Western indecision made possible the r...
“A Certain Amount of Madness” by Amber Murrey
29 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Amber Murrey, author of A Certain Amount of Madness. Published on the 30th anniversary of his assassination, the book illustrates ho...
“Preparing for War” by Bradley Onishi (Part II)
22 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Bradley Onishi, author of Preparing for War. The book is an engrossing account of the years-long campaign of White Christian nationa...
“Preparing for War” by Bradley Onishi (Part I)
15 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Bradley Onishi, author of Preparing for War. The book is an engrossing account of the years-long campaign of White Christian nationa...
"Daughters of the Bamboo Grove” by Barbara Demick
08 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Barbara Demick, author of the new book, Daughters of the Bamboo Grove. The book tells the heartbreaking story of twin sisters torn a...
"We the People" by Jill Lepore
01 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Jill Lepore, celebrated historian and author of We the People. The book offers a totally new look at the history of the U.S. Constit...
"Medicine River" by Mary Annette Pember
25 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Mary Annette Pember, author of Medicine River. The book is a wide-ranging and deeply personal account of Native American boarding sc...
"Afterlives" by Abdulrazak Gurnah
18 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bob Kustra interviews Abdulrazak Gurnah, Nobel Prize winner and author of the novel, Afterlives. The book is a multi-generational saga of displacement...
"Looking at Women Looking at War" by Victoria Amelina
11 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Joanna Kakissis, joining the program to talk about the late Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina, and her book, Looking at Women Lookin...
"Twist" by Colum McCann
04 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Colum McCann about his latest novel, Twist. A book of rupture and relationships in the digital age, the story dives into the hidden ...
"The Ride" by Kostya Kennedy
27 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Kostya Kennedy, author of The Ride. The book offers a fresh perspective of Paul Revere’s historic ride, with new research into lit...
"Sleeping Bear" by Connor Sullivan
20 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Connor Sullivan, author of the new novel, Sleeping Bear. In the book, a former Army veteran seeking solitude in the Alaskan wilderne...
"Spitfires" by Becky Aikman
13 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Becky Aikman, author of the new book, Spitfires. The book unveils the daring true story of the American women who piloted World War ...
"The Ransomware Hunting Team" by Daniel Golden
06 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Daniel Golden, author of The Ransomware Hunting Team. The book is a real-life technological thriller about a band of eccentric misfi...
"The Oligarch's Daughter" by Joseph Finder
30 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Joseph Finder, author of the new novel, The Oligarch’s Daughter. The book is a thrilling story of dizzying spycraft following an e...
"A City on Mars" by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith
23 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Zach Weinersmith, co-author of the new book, A City on Mars. The book is a funny and deeply-researched off-world investigation into ...
"Africa is Not a Country" by Dipo Faloyin (Part II)
16 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Dipo Faloyin, debut author of Africa is Not a Country: Notes on a Bright Continent. In the book, Faloyin explores the youth-led cult...
"The Doorman" by Chris Pavone
09 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Chris Pavone, author of the thrilling novel, The Doorman. The book follows a blue collar doorman for a glitzy apartment building in ...
"Paris Undercover" by Matthew Goodman
02 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Matthew Goodman, author of Paris Undercover. The book tells the gripping story of two women in Nazi-occupied Paris who create a dari...
"Africa is Not a Country" by Dipo Faloyin (Part I)
26 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Dipo Faloyin, debut author of Africa is Not a Country: Notes on a Bright Continent. In the book, Faloyin explores the youth-led cult...
"Kingmaker" by Sonia Purnell
19 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Sonia Purnell, author of Kingmaker. In the book, Purnell tells the secret history of Winston Churchill’s daughter-in-law, Pamela C...
"The Achilles Trap" by Steve Coll
12 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Steve Coll, author of the new book, The Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, the CIA, and the Origins of America’s Invasion of Iraq.The ...
"From Warsaw With Love" By John Pomfret
05 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Note: This is an encore edition of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in January 2023.In 1990, as the United States cobbles together a coal...
"The Troublemaker" by Mark L. Clifford
28 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Mark L. Clifford, author of The Troublemaker. The book is a comprehensive biography of billionaire businessman Jimmy Lai, a leading ...
"Inside the President's Team" by Bob Barrett
21 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Nils Barrett, joining Reader's Corner to talk about his late father’s memoir, Inside the President's Team. The book offers an up-c...
"The Umbrella Maker's Son" by Tod Lending
14 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bob Kustra interviews Tod Lending, author of the novel, The Umbrella Maker’s Son. The book is a coming-of-age tale following a 17-year-old Polish Je...
"Amphibious Soul" by Craig Foster
07 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Craig Foster, author of Amphibious Soul. The book is a lyrical memoir drawing from the author’s decades of daily ocean dives, wisd...
"Mindmasters" by Sandra Matz
31 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Sandra Matz, author of the new book, Mindmasters. The book is an exploration of how algorithms penetrate and influence the most inti...
"The Myth of American Idealism" by Nathan J. Robinson and Noam Chomsky
24 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Nathan J. Robinson, co-author of the new book, The Myth of American Idealism. The book is an indictment of both American foreign pol...
"Prisoners Of The Castle" By Ben Macintyre
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Note: This is an encore edition of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in November 2022. An interview with Ben Macintyre, author of the new ...
"Grizzly Confidential" by Kevin Grange
10 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Kevin Grange, author of Grizzly Confidential. Part science, part travelogue, the book is a both a gripping account of the famous Nor...
"Ungoverning" by Nancy L. Rosenblum and Russell Muirhead
03 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Russell Muirhead, co-author of the new book, Ungoverning: The Attack on the Administrative State and the Politics of Chaos. The book...
"Nelson Rockefeller's Dilemma" by Marsha E. Barrett
26 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Marsha E. Barrett, author of Nelson Rockefeller's Dilemma. The book is a compelling political history of the influential career of t...
"On the Hippie Trail" by Rick Steves
19 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with legendary travel writer Rick Steves about his new book, On the Hippie Trail. The book offers a glimpse into the memories and misadve...
"Better Living Through Birding" by Christian Cooper
12 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Christian Cooper, author of the book, Better Living Through Birding. Part memoir, part travelogue, the book explores how birding hel...
"What the Chicken Knows" by Sy Montgomery
05 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Sy Montgomery, author of What the Chicken Knows. Part science writing, part personal narrative, the book explores the surprising tra...
"Code Name Puritan" by Greg Barnhisel
29 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Greg Barnhisel, author of Code Name Puritan. The book is a fascinating biography of Norman Holmes Pearson, an unassuming literary sc...
"Russia and Ukraine" by Maria Popova and Oxana Shevel
22 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Maria Popova, co-author of the new book, Russia and Ukraine: Entangled Histories, Diverging States. The book examines how the fall o...
"This America Of Ours" By Nate Schweber
15 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Note: This is an encore edition of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in November 2022.An interview with Nate Schweber, author of the new b...
"Midnight Black" by Mark Greaney
08 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Mark Greaney, author of the new thriller, Midnight Black. The book is a taut new addition to Greaney’s bestselling Gray Man series...
"Where Tyranny Begins" by David Rohde
01 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with David Rohde, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Where Tyranny Begins. In the book, Rohde details how Donald Trump used threats, co...
"How to Raise a Citizen" by Lindsey Cormack
22 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Lindsey Cormack, author of the new book, How to Raise a Citizen. The book is a practical guide to nurturing the next generation of r...
"Holding Fire" by Bryce Andrews
15 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Bryce Andrews, author of the new book, Holding Fire. The book is a memoir of inheritance, history, and one gun’s role in the viole...
"Two Nights In Lisbon" By Chris Pavone
08 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Note: This is an encore edition of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in October 2022. An interview with Chris Pavone, author of the thrill...
"The Expat" by Hansen Shi
01 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Hansen Shi, author of the thrilling new novel, The Expat. The book follows a young businessman who travels to China for a job offer,...
"Challenger" by Adam Higginbotham
25 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Adam Higginbotham, author of Challenger. The book is a thrilling minute-by-minute account of the 1986 Challenger shuttle disaster, b...
"Last Summer On State Street" By Toya Wolfe
18 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Producer's Note: This is an encore edition of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in October 2022. An interview with Toya Wolfe, debut autho...
"How Tyrants Fall" by Marcel Dirsus
11 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Marcel Dirsus, author of How Tyrants Fall. The book is a deeply-researched examination of how dictators are overthrown, and what hap...
"Talk Radio's America" by Brian Rosenwald
04 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Brian Rosenwald, author of the book, Talk Radio's America. The book takes a close look at the infotainment format pioneered by Rush ...
"Trigger Points" By Mark Follman
28 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Note: This is an encore edition of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in September 2022. An interview with Mark Follman, author of Trigger ...
"Assassins Anonymous" by Rob Hart
21 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Rob Hart, author of the new novel, Assassins Anonymous. The book is a thrilling story of suspense, murder, and redemption, as a refo...
"Stolen Pride" by Arlie Russell Hochschild
14 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Arlie Russell Hochschild, author of Stolen Pride. Set in Appalachia, the book takes a hard look at the “pride paradox” that has ...
"A Conspiratorial Life" By Edward H. Miller
07 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Note: This is an encore presentation of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in September 2022.An interview with Edward H. Miller, author of ...
"Unjust Debts" By Melissa B. Jacoby
30 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Melissa B. Jacoby, author of the new book, Unjust Debts. The book offers an incisive look at the hidden role of bankruptcy in perpet...
"Table For Two" By Amor Towles
23 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Amor Towles, bestselling author of the new book, Table for Two. The book is a collection of short fiction based in New York, along w...
"The Man Who Broke Capitalism" By David Gelles
16 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Note: This is an encore episode of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in June 2022. An interview with David Gelles, author of The Man Who B...
"On Freedom" By Timothy Snyder
09 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Timothy Snyder, author of the new book, On Freedom. The book is an exploration of the American ideal of freedom—what it is, how it...
"To Run The World" By Sergey Radchenko
02 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Sergey Radchenko, author of the new book, To Run the World. The book offers a detailed portrait of Russian leadership during the Col...
"I Will Show You How It Was" By Illia Ponomarenko
26 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Illia Ponomarenko, author of the new book, I Will Show You How It Was. The book is powerful and personal chronicle of the war in Ukr...
"A World on the Wing" By Scott Weidensaul
19 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Note: This is an encore edition of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in August 2022. An interview with Scott Weidensaul, author of A World...
"Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here" By Jonathan Blitzer
12 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Jonathan Blitzer, author of Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here. The book is a vivid portrait of the people whose lives ebb and flow across...
"The Sentinel State" By Minxin Pei
05 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Minxin Pei, author of The Sentinel State. The book argues that the endurance of dictatorship in China owes less to advanced technolo...
"The Thousand Crimes Of Ming Tsu" By Tom Lin
28 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Note: This is an encore edition of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in August 2022. An interview with Tom Lin, author of the novel, The T...
"Fighting The Night" By Paul Hendrickson
21 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Paul Hendrickson, author of the new book, Fighting the Night. The book is a moving story of his father’s wartime service as a nigh...
"Ian Fleming: The Complete Man" By Nicholas Shakespeare
14 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Nicholas Shakespeare, author of the new book, Ian Fleming: The Complete Man. The book offers an eye-opening portrait of the mysterio...
"The Rise And Fall Of The Neoliberal Order" By Gary Gerstle
07 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Note: This is an encore edition of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in July 2022.An interview with Gary Gerstle, author of The Rise and F...
"Ascent To Power" By David L. Roll
31 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with David L. Roll, author of the new book, Ascent to Power. The book focuses on the fascinating story behind the most consequential pres...
"Phantom Orbit" By David Ignatius
24 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with David Ignatius, author of the new novel, Phantom Orbit. The book is a thrilling story of espionage against the backdrop of our natio...
"Davos Man" By Peter S. Goodman
17 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Note: This is an encore edition of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in July 2022. An interview with Peter S. Goodman, author of Davos Man...
"Differ We Must" By Steve Inskeep
10 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Steve Inskeep, author of the new book, Differ We Must. The book is a compelling portrait of Abraham Lincoln’s political acumen in ...
"Hedged" By Margot Susca
04 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Margot Susca, author of Hedged. The book reveals a newspaper industry rocked by an obsession with profit and beholden to private fun...
"Seek And Hide" By Amy Gajda
27 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Amy Gajda, author of Seek and Hide: The Tangled History of the Right to Privacy. The book is an important primer for today’s priva...
"The Demon Of Unrest" By Erik Larson
20 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Erik Larson, author of the new book, The Demon of Unrest. The book examines the pivotal five months between the election of Abraham ...
"I Will Show You How It Was" By Illia Ponomarenko
13 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Illia Ponomarenko, author of the new book, I Will Show You How It Was. The book is powerful and personal chronicle of the war in Ukr...
"The Meat Paradox" By Rob Percival
06 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Rob Percival, author of The Meat Paradox: Eating, Empathy, and the Future of Meat. The book offers a vital and nuanced investigation...
"Coming To Terms With John F. Kennedy" By Stephen F. Knott
29 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Stephen F. Knott, author of Coming to Terms with John F. Kennedy. The book offers a broad view of the young President, and shows how...
"The Year Of The Locust" By Terry Hayes
22 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Terry Hayes, acclaimed author of the new book, The Year of the Locust. A thriller set in the borderlands of the Middle East, the nov...
"The Revenge of Power" By Moisés Naím
15 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Moisés Naím, author of The Revenge of Power: How Autocrats Are Reinventing Politics for the 21st Century. The book examines the fu...
"The End Of Reality" By Jonathan Taplin
08 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with Jonathan Taplin, author of The End of Reality. The book is a scathing critique of the worldview being sold by four American billiona...
"Three-Inch Teeth" By C.J. Box
01 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
An interview with writer C.J. Box, joining us to talk about his new novel, Three-Inch Teeth. In the book, game warden Joe Pickett contends with a vici...
"Sunny Days" By David Kamp
25 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Note: This is an encore edition of Reader's Corner. The episode originally aired in October 2020.