
Poured Over
Poured Over is a show for readers who pore over details, obsess over sentences and ideas and stories and characters; readers who ask a lot of questions, just like Poured Over’s host, Miwa Messer, a career bookseller who’s always reading. Follow us here for surprising riffs, candid conversations, a few laughs, and lots of great book recommendations from big name authors and authors on their way to being big names. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional bonus episodes on Saturdays).
Latest episodes

Jul 19, 2025 • 48min
Loretta Rothschild on FINDING GRACE
Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild is a page-turning family drama, a second-chance love story, and a meditation on the fragile nature of life, all in one. Loretta joins us to talk about the relationship between grief and love, narration, finding inspiration, characterization, creating tension and more with cohost Isabelle McConville. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Isabelle McConville and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): Finding Grace by Loretta Rothschild Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy The Sirens by Emilia Hart Featured Books (TBR Top Off): Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner Greenwich by Kate Broad

Jul 17, 2025 • 48min
Hala Alyan on I'LL TELL YOU WHEN I'M HOME
I’ll Tell You When I’m Home is a poignant exploration of place and identity by Hala Alyan, the author of Salt Houses. Hala joins us to talk about poetry, what it means to tell the truth, redaction, establishing trust with readers, loyalty, motherhood and more with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): I’ll Tell You When I’m Home by Hala Alyan Salt Houses by Hala Alyan Arsonist’s City by Hala Alyan Good Girl by Aria Aber The Ferguson Report by Nicole Sealey A Little Daylight Left by Sarah Kay

Jul 15, 2025 • 59min
Honorée Fanonne Jeffers on MISBEHAVING AT THE CROSSROADS
Misbehaving at the Crossroads by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers is an indelible collection of essays on womanhood, home and history. Honorée joins us to talk about the blues, intersectionality, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, respectability politics, poetry and more with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): Misbehaving at the Crossroads by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers Recitatif by Toni Morrison The Age of Phillis by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers The Collected Poems of Lucille Clifton edited by Michael S. Glaser and Kevin Young Black Buffalo Woman by Kazim Ali

Jul 10, 2025 • 45min
Gary Shteyngart on VERA, OR FAITH
Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart is a story about a modern family coming apart at the seams — and one child is at the center of it all. Gary joins us to chat about characterization, curiosity, gifted kid burnout, dystopian fiction, AI and more with cohost Isabelle McConville. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Isabelle McConville and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): Vera, or Faith by Gary Shteyngart Super Sad True Love Story by Gary Shteyngart Lake Success by Gary Shteyngart Little Failure by Gary Shteyngart What Maisie Knew by Henry James Prophet Song by Paul Lynch Circular Motion by Alex Foster

Jul 8, 2025 • 42min
Sophie Elmhirst on A MARRIAGE AT SEA
A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst is an engrossing true account of a shocking shipwreck that’s part love story and part peril on the high seas. Sophie joins us to talk about the 70s, marriage, sailing, survival and more with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhirst Adrift by Steven Callahan Stuart: A Life Backwards by Alexander Masters Offshore by Penelope Fitzgerald A Place of Greater Safety by Hilary Mantel

Jul 5, 2025 • 1h 50min
Poured Over Double Shot: Aisling Rawle and Emily Nussbaum
Reality TV has changed our cultural landscape… for better or worse. We’re tackling reality TV with two books — The Compound by Aisling Rawle and Cue the Sun! by Emily Nussbaum. One takes us into the fictional perspective of a reality show contestant and the other is a riveting cultural study from a Pulitzer Prize-winning critic. Listen in as these authors speak separately with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Executive Producer Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): The Compound by Aisling Rawle Cue the Sun! by Emily Nussbaum Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín The Safekeep by Yael van der Wouden God of the Woods by Liz Moore

Jul 3, 2025 • 51min
Dr. Jessica B. Harris on BRAIDED HERITAGE
Braided Heritage by Dr. Jessica B. Harris is a sweeping account of food, home and culture featuring stories and recipes from the acclaimed culinary historian. Dr. Harris joins us to talk about travel writing, language, the evolution of American cuisine, cookbooks and more with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): Braided Heritage by Dr. Jessica B. Harris High on the Hog by Dr. Jessica B. Harris Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child Provence, 1970 by Luke Barr Featured Books (TBR Top Off): Braided Heritage by Dr. Jessica B. Harris Black Food by Bryant Terry The Encyclopedia of Spices and Herbs by Padma Lakshmi

Jul 1, 2025 • 54min
John Ganz on WHEN THE CLOCK BROKE
When the Clock Broke by John Ganz is a sweeping and detailed portrait of the roots of deepening conflict in America. John joined us to talk about elections, history vs memory, mainstream media and more on with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): When the Clock Broke by John Ganz The Cycles of American History by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. Nixonland by Rick Perlstein Featured Books (TBR Top Off): When the Clock Broke by John Ganz West from Appomattox by Heather Cox Richardson Reaganland by Rick Perlstein

Jun 28, 2025 • 53min
Catherine Newman on SANDWICH
Sandwich by Catherine Newman is a charming, often laugh-out-loud funny story about a woman being pushed and pulled between her parents and her children, her past and her future. Catherine joined us live at B&N Upper West Side to talk about writing autofiction, mothers, daughters, femininity, family and more with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): Sandwich by Catherine Newman Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby Small Rain by Garth Greenwell

Jun 26, 2025 • 47min
Rob Hart on THE MEDUSA PROTOCOL
The Medusa Protocol by Rob Hart takes us back into the world of reformed hitmen from Our Mystery Monthly Pick, Assassins Anonymous. Rob joins us to talk about poison vs venom, John Wick movies, masculinity and more with guest host Chris Gillespie. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Chris Gillespie and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): The Medusa Protocol by Rob Hart Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby