In need of a good read? Or just want to keep up with the books everyone's talking about? NPR's Book of the Day gives you today's very best writing in a snackable, skimmable, pocket-sized podcast. Whether you're looking to engage with the big questions of our times – or temporarily escape from them – we've got an author who will speak to you, all genres, mood and writing styles included. Catch today's great books in 15 minutes or less. Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including sponsor-free listening for Book of the Da
Latest episodes
-
10 min
Kevin Roose on the quasi-religious pursuit of artificial general intelligence
Over the past few months, some industry insiders have warned that rogue AI could escape its human creators, resulting in dangerous – and perhaps existential – consequences. But in…
-
11 min
'Lessons in Chemistry' author Bonnie Garmus on her new novel 'Peck & Peck'
Bonnie Garmus’ 2022 novel Lessons in Chemistry was a smash hit, selling more than 8 million copies worldwide. Her new novel Peck & Peck is set in the ‘80s and centers around Batter…
-
17 min
Two collections of horror stories modernize the genre
Spooky season is year-round, and so are our episodes about scary stories. First up, NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with Jeanette Winterson about The Night Side of the River, a collecti…
-
8 min
Shirley Jackson's biographer on the writer's ability to find evil in the ordinary
With stories like “The Lottery” and The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson was one of the great horror authors of the 20th century. In 2012, Ruth Franklin wrote a biography of…
-
9 min
George Saunders' 'Vigil' is a ghostly novel about an oil tycoon in his final hours
In his latest novel, George Saunders continues to explore his interest in death and the afterlife. Vigil tells the story of an oil tycoon and climate change denier named K.J. Boone…
-
7 min
Jordan Peele on his Black horror story collection 'Out There Screaming'
Out There Screaming: An Anthology of New Black Horror is a collection of scary stories curated by horror filmmaker Jordan Peele. In today's episode, Peele speaks with NPR's Brittan…
-
12 min
In 'The Eleventh Hour,' Salman Rushdie writes about morality, revenge and ghosts
Salman Rushdie lived for decades under a death sentence and survived a knife attack three years ago. His latest book The Eleventh Hour is his first work of fiction since that near-…
-
19 min
'Nickel and Dimed' and 'The Case for Quitting' reconsider our relationship to work
Today’s episode features two books – one classic and one new – that might lead you to reconsider your relationship to work. Nearly 25 years ago, journalist and activist Barbara Ehr…
-
14 min
Hernan Diaz on his new novel 'Ply' and understanding America through technology
Hernan Diaz’s new book, Ply, takes place in a future where institutions have fallen apart. It appears to be a book about systems and community, but turns out to be one about the se…
-
9 min
'Swan Song' sees Princess Diana through her brother’s eyes
Diana, Princess of Wales, died almost three decades ago, but her legacy and image persist in the public eye. Her brother, Charles Spencer, is out with a new book that paints a pers…
-
8 min
Gov. Andy Beshear on how the midterms will help him weigh his presidential run
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is the author of a new book called Go And Do Likewise: How We Heal A Broken Country. Beshear is a rare Democratic leader in an otherwise majority Rep…
-
12 min
John Green on 'Hollywood, Ending,' his first novel for adults
John Green is known for his influential young adult fiction like Looking for Alaska, The Fault in Our Stars and Turtles All the Way Down. His new book, Hollywood, Ending, is his fi…
-
24 min
Lois Lowry on 'Building 903,' 'The Giver' and relationships between the old and young
Lois Lowry has written dozens of books for kids and young adults. There’s the historical fiction novel Number the Stars about the Holocaust, the Anastasia Krupnik series and, of co…
-
8 min
In 'Roll the Calls,' Hollywood's Ari Emanuel reflects on the art of agenting
Ari Emanuel is a powerful Hollywood agent who has represented clients including Oprah Winfrey, Martin Scorsese and Vince McMahon. Known for his brash approach to business, he was t…
-
17 min
A conversation with Tomi Adeyemi on her new novel 'The Siren'
The author Tomi Adeyemi rose to fame with Children of Blood and Bone, the first novel in her popular young adult fantasy series based on the Yoruba religion. That book is the subje…
-
8 min
In 'History by a Hair,' DNA offers answers to an old question about Thomas Jefferson
For more than 200 years, one question about the nation's third president has lingered: Did Thomas Jefferson father children with Sally Hemings, a woman 30 years his junior whom he…
-
11 min
'Pachinko' author Min Jin Lee says writing 'American Hagwon' transformed her
John and Helen Koh are a middle-class couple living in South Korea with. But when a financial crisis hits, they leave Seoul for Southern California and are faced with a new financi…
-
31 min
A visit with Barbara Kingsolver: We talk 'Partita,' piano, aging and Appalachia
Before she won the Pulitzer for Demon Copperhead, Kingsolver wasn't sure her neighbors knew what she did for a living. Her new novel Partita, about a classical pianist, gets very p…
-
8 min
'Profiles in Cowardice' argues leaders failed to push back against President Trump
John F. Kennedy once wrote a book called Profiles in Courage, which highlighted senators throughout history who made unpopular but politically brave decisions. Journalist Jacob Wei…
-
9 min
In 'Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel,' Lucy Foley continues Agatha Christie's legacy
The Grand Alpine Hotel is majestic, nestled high in the Swiss Alps with snow perfect for skiing. But one morning, a dead body is discovered in one of the gondolas on its first run…