
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

Jun 7, 2025 • 57min
Susan Morrison on LORNE
The history of Saturday Night Live and the man who made it, Lorne by Susan Morrison is an honest and earnest look at how such a simple concept took over the comedy scene, and how it persisted through decades. Susan joins us to talk late nights on set, interviewing the man behind the curtain, comedy greats from back then and now, bringing a sketch from the writers’ room to the stage 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): Lorne by Susan Morrison

Jun 5, 2025 • 43min
Rob Franklin on GREAT BLACK HOPE
Great Black Hope by Rob Franklin is a story about identity, home and hope from a fresh new voice in fiction. Rob joins us to chat about party novels, the evolution of New York City, writing during the pandemic, 2010s indie sleaze 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): Great Black Hope by Rob Franklin Bright Lights, Big City Jay McInerney Just Kids by Patti Smith How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia by Mohsin Hamid Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe Intimacies by Katie Kitamura The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong Bluets by Maggie Nelson

Jun 3, 2025 • 50min
Maggie Stiefvater on THE LISTENERS
The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater is historical fiction set against the backdrop of World War II and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. With complex and compelling characters and political tension, it's a read that transports. Maggie joins us to talk about what luxury really means, liminal spaces, morning routines, characterization, mini dachshunds 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): The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis Featured Books (TBR Top Off): The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O’Neill

May 29, 2025 • 47min
Laura Pegram, Edwidge Danticat and Princess Joy L. Perry on SING THE TRUTH
Laura Pegram, Edwidge Danticat and Princess Joy L. Perry joined us live at B&N Upper West Side to celebrate 15 Years of The Kweli Journal. Listen in as they chat about using language to build community, short stories vs novels, witnessing emerging talent 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): Sing the Truth: The Kweli Journal Short Story Collection edited by Laura Pegram Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat This Here is Love by Princess Joy L. Perry A Kind of Rapture by Robert Bergman

May 27, 2025 • 52min
Robert Macfarlane on IS A RIVER ALIVE?
Travel writing, ecological reporting and history flow together in a portrait of one of nature’s most powerful features in Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane. Rob joins us to talk about the rights of rivers, white river kayaking, giving old ideas new power, moral imagination, fear vs risk, water puns 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): Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane Underland: A Deep Time Journey by Robert Macfarlane

May 22, 2025 • 57min
Tayari Jones and A.M. Homes on 30 Years of the Women's Prize for Fiction
Tayari Jones and A.M. Homes joined us live at B&N Upper West Side to celebrate 30 Years of the Women’s Prize for Fiction and riff on the craft of writing, the importance (and fun) of editing, unlikable characters, literary influences, endings 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): An American Marriage by Tayari Jones May We Be Forgiven by A.M. Homes James by Percival Everett Good Girl by Aria Aber

May 20, 2025 • 33min
Alison Bechdel on SPENT
Spent by Alison Bechdel is a big-hearted and funny account of life and art from a beloved author. Alison joins us to talk about late-stage capitalism, vulnerability hangovers, community, writing autofiction and more with cohost Jenna Seery. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Jenna Seery and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): Spent by Alison Bechdel Fun Home by Alison Bechdel Are You My Mother? by Alison Bechdel Diet for a Small Planet by Frances Moore Lappé The Unstrung Harp by Edward Gorey

May 17, 2025 • 46min
Sarah Kay on A LITTLE DAYLIGHT LEFT
Inspiring and uplifting, A Little Daylight Left by Sarah Kay is a poetry collection aimed at lighting the fire in you, whether you're facing new challenges, or staring down familiar ones. Sarah joined us live to talk about how she started writing poetry, making poetry accessible for any reader, live performances 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 Little Daylight Left by Sarah Kay Martyr! by Kaveh Akabar

May 15, 2025 • 1h 6min
Ron Chernow on MARK TWAIN
Mark Twain by Ron Chernow is a deep dive into the life of one of America’s literary geniuses through the eyes of a master biographer. Ron joins us to talk about his research process, understanding the inner and outer life of Mark Twain, viewing Twain through a modern lens, the future of biographies 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): Mark Twain by Ron Chernow Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Chasing the Last Laugh by Richard Zacks Featured Books (TBR Top Off): Mark Twain by Ron Chernow James by Percival Everett The Invention of Nature by Andrea Wulf

May 13, 2025 • 1h 15min
Ocean Vuong on THE EMPEROR OF GLADNESS
There are the books you read and then there are the books you experience, like The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong. Poet, photographer and bestselling author, Vuong’s novels are spun from gorgeous prose and vibrant, original imagery. Ocean joins us to talk about autofiction, language, wonder, characterization and more with 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): The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong Time is a Mother by Ocean Vuong On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong Suttree by Cormac McCarthy Another Country by James Baldwin The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow Ways of Seeing by John Berger Featured Books (TBR Top Off): The Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong Dayspring by Anthony Oliveira My Name is Emilia del Valle by Isabel Allende