

Poured Over
Barnes & Noble
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).
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 17, 2024 • 56min
Susan Minot on DON'T BE A STRANGER
Don’t Be a Stranger by Susan Minot is a story of obsession, lust and life populated by intriguing characters and full of simmering tension. Minot joins us to talk about the start of the novel, the many ways she creates art, the fluidity of time and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. We end this episode with TBR Top Off book recommendations from Marc and Donald. 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): Don’t Be a Stranger by Susan Minot Monkeys by Susan Minot All Fours by Miranda July Sandwich by Catherine Newman Why I Don’t Write: And Other Stories by Susan Minot Nocturnes for the King of Naples by Edmund White Rememberings by Sinead O’Connor The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner East of Eden by John Steinbeck Featured Books (TBR Top Off): Vladimir by Julia May Jonas All Fours by Miranda July

Oct 15, 2024 • 44min
Ta-Nehisi Coates on THE MESSAGE
In The Message, Ta-Nehisi Coates delivers a gripping account of some of our world's hardest truths all within a book that's ultimately about the craft of writing. Coates joins us to talk about the inspiration for telling these stories, the role of memory, his influences and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. We end this episode with TBR Top Off book recommendations from Marc and Donald. 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 Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates The Beautiful Struggle by Ta-Nehisi Coates The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates We Were Eight Years in Power by Ta-Nehisi Coates The Rediscovery of America by Ned Blackhawk Featured Books (TBR Top Off): The Source of Self-Regard by Toni Morrison Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde Avengers of the New World by Laurent DuBois

Oct 12, 2024 • 47min
Dan Jones on HENRY V
Henry V by Dan Jones takes us back in time to an age of grandeur, guts and glory with an astonishing account of a complicated king. Jones joins us live to talk about the way he crafted the book, the importance of analyzing our past, the roles of the historian 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): Henry V by Dan Jones The Plantagenets by Dan Jones The Wars of the Roses by Dan Jones The Templars by Dan Jones The Spy Who Loved Me by Ian Fleming American Tabloid by James Ellroy

Oct 9, 2024 • 47min
Abraham Chang on 888 LOVE AND THE DIVINE BURDEN OF NUMBERS
888 Love and the Divine Burden of Numbers by Abraham Chang is a debut about the coming-of-age search for love and meaning via family, friendships, education, and (especially) pop culture. Chang joins us to talk about his career in publishing, the Easter eggs he hides in his work, his ensemble of characters and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. 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): 888 Love and the Divine Burden of Numbers by Abraham Chang High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

Oct 8, 2024 • 33min
Ina Garten on BE READY WHEN THE LUCK HAPPENS
Be Ready When the Luck Happens is an inspiring, heartfelt and intimate memoir chronicling the life of the one and only Ina Garten. She joins us to talk about choosing to tell her story, some of the most memorable moments, the cookbooks she loves and more with guest host, Kat Sarfas. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Kat Sarfas and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app Featured Books (Episode): Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten Modern Comfort Food by Ina Garten

Oct 5, 2024 • 43min
Richard Osman on WE SOLVE MURDERS
We Solve Murders by Richard Osman is the start of a cat-and-mouse thriller series with new characters you’ll love and the humor and wit you’ve come to expect from this sharp and sly author. Osman joined us live at Barnes & Noble Union Square to talk about crafting an ensemble of voices, writing propulsive narratives, why we love mysteries 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): We Solve Murders by Richard Osman The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith Karla’s Choice by Nick Harkaway

Oct 3, 2024 • 51min
Rumaan Alam on ENTITLEMENT and Danzy Senna on COLORED TELEVISION
Rumaan Alam, author of Entitlement, and Danzy Senna, author of Colored Television, join us live at The Grove to talk about liminal spaces, writing impeccable dialogue, the similarities and differences in their characters and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. 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): Entitlement by Rumaan Alam Colored Television by Danzy Senna Leave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam Caucasia by Danzy Senna

Oct 1, 2024 • 49min
Louise Erdrich on THE MIGHTY RED
The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich is a profound story of the natural world, place and community. Erdrich joins us to talk about the spark for this novel, the evolution of her work, some of her recommendations as a bookseller and more with Miwa Messer, host of Poured Over. We end this episode with TBR Top Off book recommendations from Marc and Jamie. 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 Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich The Beet Queen by Louise Erdrich The Antelope Woman by Louise Erdrich Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich Creation Lake by Rachel Kushner Black Woods, Blue Sky by Eowyn Ivey Save Me, Stranger by Erika Krouse Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson Featured Books (TBR Top Off): Never Whistle at Night by Shane Hawk and Theodore C Van Alst, Jr. Plainsong by Kent Haruf

Sep 28, 2024 • 37min
Tammy Armstrong on PEARLY EVERLASTING
Pearly Everlasting by Tammy Armstrong is a journey through the forest in a tale of friendship, family and hope. Armstrong joins us to talk about the photo that inspired the book, her research process, the importance of chosen family 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): Pearly Everlasting by Tammy Armstrong Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy

4 snips
Sep 26, 2024 • 58min
Richard Powers on PLAYGROUND
Playground by Richard Powers is a multi-layered novel about life in, out of and around the ocean and explores ideas of playgrounds and paradise; computer games and AI; adventure, exploration, colonization and more. Powers joins us to talk about the inception of the story, his research process, the importance and beauty of connecting to the natural world and more with guest host, Chris Gillespie. We end this episode with TBR Top Off book recommendations from Marc and Donald. 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): Playground by Richard Powers The Overstory by Richard Powers Bewilderment by Richard Powers Finite and Infinite Games by James P. Carse Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake The Light Eaters by Zoë Schlanger Featured Books (TBR Top Off): Orbital by Samantha Harvey State of Wonder by Ann Patchett