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PODCAST

NPR"s Book of the Day

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.

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All Episodes

9:03

Reshona Landfair, formerly 'Jane Doe,' recounts abuse...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/26

Reshona Landfair met R. Kelly when she was a pre-teen in 1996. Starstruck, Landfair says she fell victim to his grooming tactics, followed by years of sexual, physical and emotional abuse. A video of Kelly abusing Landfair eventually became public – and helped lead to Kelly’s conviction. Now, Landfair tells her story for the first time in her memoir Who’s Watching Shorty? In today’s episode, she tells NPR’s Juana Summers about being “kept” by Kelly, the way the public treats young Black women who

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9:37

'The Renovation' is a novel with a surrealist take on...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/25

There are many ways that a home renovation project can become a nightmare for all involved. But in The Renovation, narrator Dilara’s remodeling woes aren’t strictly financial or aesthetic—they’re absurdly surreal. When she finds her bathroom transformed into an armed Turkish prison cell, Dilara and her family must reckon with fragments of their past, present and future, all while fighting against the pace of time itself. In today’s episode, author Kenan Orhan joins NPR’s Scott Simon to discuss his

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10:32

'Fly, Wild Swans' weaves Jung Chang’s family history...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/24

Jung Chang’s memoir Wild Swans, published in 1991, told the story of three generations of women in her family as they survived upheaval in 20th-century China. Now, Chang picks up her family’s story in Fly, Wild Swans, which she was moved to write as her mother’s health failed. In today’s episode, Chang talks with Here & Now’s Scott Tong about her inability to return to China, the biography of Mao she co-authored with her husband, and the Xi era.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support

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8:44

'Clutch' follows a college friend group trying to...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/23

The new novel Clutch follows five women who have known each other since college as they navigate the challenges of midlife. Author Emily Nemens recently told NPR’s Juana Summers that she wanted to tell this story through the group chat, which Nemens calls “the vernacular of now.” In today’s episode, they also discuss negligence in relationships, the novel’s head-on approach to abortion rights, and how writing Clutch impacted Nemens’ own friendships.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and

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16:00

Brush up on American history with 'Common Sense' and...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/20

In preparation for the U.S. Semiquincentennial this summer, we’re featuring two key texts in American history. First, Professor Nora Slonimsky joins NPR’s Sarah McCammon to discuss the legacy and reach of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense – including how we might see Paine as an influencer-like figure. Then, Jill Lepore’s We the People is a new history of the U.S. Constitution. In today’s episode, she speaks with NPR’s Steve Inskeep about historical attempts to reinterpret our law long after the

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8:03

In 'Eradication,' a grieving man sets off to a remote...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/19

Adi is a man grieving the death of his young son and the end of his marriage. Following these losses, he comes across a strange job listing, which brings him to a remote island populated by non-native goats. Jonathan Miles’ new novel Eradication follows Adi’s journey as he struggles with a gruesome mission assigned to him. In today’s episode, Miles joins NPR’s Scott Simon for a conversation about Adi’s personal motives and the difficulty of killing animals. To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free

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8:05

Gisèle Pelicot’s 'A Hymn to Life' is both a memoir...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/18

Content warning: this episode contains discussions of sexual abuse.In 2024, Gisèle Pelicot waived her right to anonymity as the victim during her own rape case in France, demanding a public trial. Soon after, she became an international feminist icon for her self-sacrifice. In A Hymn to Life, Pelicot recounts the unconscionable horrors she suffered at the hands of her husband and 50 other men—but she also establishes herself as a witness rather than simply a victim. In today’s episode, Pelicot joins

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8:55

'Crux' is a novel about rock climbing, but risk...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/17

Rock climbing is a great sport for thrill-seekers. In Gabriel Tallent’s Crux, main characters Dan and Tamma fit the bill perfectly. At just 17 years old, they bond over the side of a mountain where one miscalculated inch of movement could mean life or death. However, risk doesn’t disappear once they make it safely to flat ground. For Dan and Tamma, risk exists in growing up, and growing out of their physical and emotional comfort zones. In today’s episode, Tallent joins NPR’s Juana Summers to

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7:09

After 100 years of Mount Rushmore, its biographer...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/16

Next year marks the 100th anniversary of the first drilling at Mount Rushmore, the iconic American landmark in South Dakota. But Matthew Davis, author of the new book A Biography of a Mountain, says the project is actually unfinished. In today’s episode, he joins NPR’s Sacha Pfeiffer for a conversation about the original vision for Mount Rushmore, which was intended to diversify a struggling South Dakota economy after World War I.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book

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16:46

'Football' and 'Everybody Loses' examine changes to...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/13

The Super Bowl is over, but the NFL season is set to ramp up again in just a few months. Today’s episode features two nonfiction books that delve into the world of football. First, Chuck Klosterman’s Football is a critical reading of the sport. He spoke with NPR’s Juana Summers about why football became dominant in American culture and why he believes it’ll lose popularity over the next decades. Then, Danny Funt speaks with NPR’s A Martínez about his new book Everybody Loses, which charts the

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8:42

A new book focuses on a queer, Black, WWII-era...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/12

About a decade ago, professor and historian Ethelene Whitmire was presenting research on the experiences of African Americans living in Denmark. At that talk, she met – by chance – a relative of Reed Peggram, one of her research subjects. That relative directed Whitmire to a trove of letters written by Peggram, a queer, Black translator who found himself in Europe on the eve of World War II. In today’s episode, Whitmire joins NPR’s Scott Simon for a conversation about her book The Remarkable Life of

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9:12

George Saunders' 'Vigil' is a ghostly novel about an...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/11

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 who’s visited by a series of ghosts in his final hours. In today’s episode, NPR’s Scott Detrow asks Saunders about similarities between this novel and A Christmas Carol. They also discuss the author’s Substack, his experience in the oil industry, and the role of storytelling in this political moment.To listen to Book of

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8:53

Gov. Josh Shapiro emphasizes civic engagement in new...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/10

Gov. Josh Shapiro has plenty of dark experiences that he could recount in his new memoir, Where We Keep the Light. In his first term as Pennsylvania’s governor, he investigated abuse within the Catholic Church and was the victim of an arson attack in his own home. But as Shapiro eyes a second term in Pennsylvania, he says he’s choosing to focus on the light. In today’s episode Shapiro sits down with NPR’s Scott Detrow, and the two discuss the power of local civic engagement — including how small

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7:40

In 'Room 706,' a woman confronts her extramarital...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/09

Kate loves her husband and their family, but she’s also involved in a long-standing affair with a married lover. Ellie Levenson opens her novel Room 706 with the secret lovers in their London hotel room. There, they soon find themselves trapped during a hostage crisis. In today’s episode, the author talks with NPR’s Scott Simon about why she chose to tell a story about modern womanhood and motherhood through such extreme circumstances.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book

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16:45

Two new books take on lesser-known chapters of WWII...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/06

Two new books focus on lesser-known chapters of Black history. First, Kings & Pawns tells the story of Jackie Robinson and Paul Robeson, who were pitted against each other during the Red Scare. In today’s episode, author Howard Bryant, a frequent contributor to NPR’s Weekend Edition, speaks with Scott Simon about how the men got caught between patriotism and activism. Then, NPR investigative reporter Cheryl W. Thompson tells NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe about Forgotten Souls, a history of the 27 Tuskegee

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6:38

A woman takes over her dead sister’s dating profile...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/05

Dating apps are full of small lies, but Rosie Storey’s debut novel imagines a relationship built on a much bigger one. What if you take over the profile of someone who’s no longer alive? In Dandelion is Dead, a grieving woman named Poppy gets into her dead older sister’s phone and logs into her dating app. There, a particular message catches her eye. In today’s episode, Storey talks with NPR’s Juana Summers about online dating, writing from a male perspective, and the author’s own friend who died at

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9:15

'How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder' is a dark new...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/04

In today’s interview, author Nina McConigley tells NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe that she wanted to write a sister book. How to Commit a Postcolonial Murder is the author’s dark debut novel about two Indian-American sisters growing up in rural Wyoming in the 1980s. There, they experience abuse that drives them to seek revenge. In today’s episode, McGonigley and Rascoe discuss split identities and the complex feelings that arise from life under colonialism – and from surviving abuse.To listen to Book of the

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10:29

In Sara Levine’s novel 'The Hitch,' a corgi’s soul...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/03

When Rose’s 6-year-old nephew arrives for a week-long visit, she has a lot of expectations for how their time together will go. Instead, the boy’s soul ends up possessed by … a corgi. This zany twist is the setup for Sara Levine’s novel The Hitch, which she calls a blend of horror, comedy and metaphysics. In today’s episode, Levine speaks with Here & Now’s Indira Lakshmanan about parenting, writing a shapeshifter character, and crafting a novel where divergent interpretations are possible.To listen

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8:43

Angela Tomaski’s debut novel takes readers on a tour...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/02/02

In Angela Tomaski’s debut novel, an old English manor has just been sold and is on the brink of conversion into a hotel. The Infamous Gilberts tells the story of the crumbling building, and the people who once lived there through the objects that inhabit it. In today’s episode, Tomaski joins NPR’s Scott Simon for a conversation about the family at the center of her story – and the secrets held by the story’s narrator.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up

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22:21

Romance authors Emily Henry, Beverly Jenkins, and...

NPR"s Book of the Day ·

2026/01/30

To wrap up our pre-Valentine’s Day week of reads, we revisit two roundtable discussions with contemporary romance authors. First, Here & Now’s Celeste Headlee speaks with Helen Hoang and Emily Henry about the state of the genre – and how the authors approach writing sex scenes. Then, Here & Now’s Kalyani Saxena moderates a conversation between Beverly Jenkins, Jasmine Guillory, and Ali Hazelwood in front of a crowd of romance fans at WBUR’s CitySpace.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and

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1,177 results

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