
Book Riot - The Podcast
News in the world of books and reading, including hot industry releases, adaptations, publishing industry events, and more with Book Riot’s Jeff O’Neal and Rebecca Shinsky.Book Riot is the largest independent editorial book site in North America and home to a host of media, from podcasts to newsletters to original content, all designed around diverse readers and across all genres.
Latest episodes

Oct 9, 2023 • 54min
The Most Impossible Single Task of Literary Discernment
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the honoree of the 2023 Nobel Prize in literature, the National Book Award finalists, free audiobooks coming to Spotify subscribers, and more.Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter!Autumn is here, which means it's time to curl up with a great read and get cozy — whatever your version of cozy looks like. Whether it's romance, creepy reads, modern classics, or escapist reads you crave, TBR can help you find the perfect books for your fall reading, with options curated to your specific reading tastes. Visit mytbr.co to find out more and sign up — it only takes a few minutes!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Discussed in this episode:First Edition!The Book Riot Podcast PatreonNobel winner Jon Fosse NBA finalists Spotify to make audiobooks free for premium usersLeave the World Behind trailerMaking It So by Patrick StewartLand of Milk and Honey by C Pam ZhangGoing Infinite by Michael Lewis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 2, 2023 • 1h 18min
A New Thing Under the Sun
Jeff and Rebecca talk about Book3 (and reactions to it), a survey about what libraries think of book bans, the U.S. suing Amazon, and more.Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter!Autumn is here, which means it's time to curl up with a great read and get cozy — whatever your version of cozy looks like. Whether it's romance, creepy reads, modern classics, or escapist reads you crave, TBR can help you find the perfect books for your fall reading, with options curated to your specific reading tastes. Visit mytbr.co to find out more and sign up — it only takes a few minutes!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Discussed in this episode:First Edition!The Book Riot Podcast PatreonResults of the parent perceptions survey BR partnered on with EveryLibraryThe Atlantic got the data about the 183,000 books in Books3 AI training setFTC sues Amazon for unlawful monopolyThe Vaster Wilds by Lauren GroffThe Book of (More) Delights by Ross GayThis Other Eden by Paul HardingLand of Milk and Honey by C Pam Zhang How to Fight Book Bans & Censorship Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 29, 2023 • 27min
Borrowed and Banned
As an extra for you this week, we are delighted to share the first episode of Borrowed and Banned, a new podcast made by our friends at the Brooklyn Public Library. This 7-episode limited series, hosted by Virginia Marshall and Adwoa Adusei, tells the story of America's ideological war with its bookshelves by talking with students on the frontlines, the librarians and teachers whose livelihoods are endangered when they speak up, and the writers whose books have become a political battleground.Learn more about Borrowed and Banned at https://www.bklynlibrary.org/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 25, 2023 • 1h 6min
Homer Was On One
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the National Book Award for Fiction longlist, a bunch of red states leaving the American Library Association, a teacher getting fired for teaching The Diary of Anne Frank, and Oprah's next surprising book club pick.Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter!Book Riot’s editorial team is writing for casual and power readers alike over at The Deep Dive! During the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, plus 5 mystery books from The Deep Dive. To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!Discussed in this episode:First Edition!The Book Riot Podcast PatreonDeep Dive shout-out: The Bestseller List is BrokenTexas teacher fired after reading aloud from graphic novel of Anne Frank’s diaryRed states cut ties with ALAReading IT’S PERFECTLY NORMALProject Gutenberg releases 5,000 public domain audiobooks w/ AI narrationBidding opens Tues 9/26, in the Authors for Voices of Color auction to support WNDBOprah’s next pick is also 600+ pages long, and she’s only giving it a monthNational Book Award Longlist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 18, 2023 • 49min
Time For Bed
Jeff and Rebecca talk about a bunch of recent reading, Drew Barrymore getting booted from the National Book Awards, and I guess that pretty much covers it.Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter!Book Riot's editorial team is writing for casual and power readers alike over at The Deep Dive! During the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, plus 5 mystery books from The Deep Dive. To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Discussed in this episode:First Edition!First Edition on Twitter. First Edition on Instagram. The First Edition (free) Substack.The Book Riot Podcast PatreonUpdate: Pulitzer board amends citizenship requirementsOngoing: More authors sue OpenAINational Book Awards drops Drew Barrymore as hostHappiness Falls by Angie KimHow to Say Babylon by Safiya SinclairLeave the World Behind by Rumaan Alam Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 11, 2023 • 58min
Nexuses of Attention
Jenn Northington joins Jeff to talk about book blurbs, book sales, and the fundamental tension of Goodreads.Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter!Book Riot's editorial team is writing for casual and power readers alike over at The Deep Dive! During the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, plus 5 mystery books from The Deep Dive. To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!Discussed in this episode:First Edition!First Edition on Twitter. First Edition on Instagram. The First Edition (free) Substack.The Book Riot Podcast PatreonThe Conundrum of BlurbsGoodreads is Terrible for Books: Why Can’t We All Quit It?Wait, how many copies do most books sell?Dictionary.com adds 566 New Words for 2023 Texas Judge Blocks Book Ban Law Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sep 3, 2023 • 54min
Do You Think the Books are Fine?
Jeff and Rebecca talk early 2023 prize lists, Jeff's trip to the UK, recent reading, and more.Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter!Book Riot's editorial team is writing for casual and power readers alike over at The Deep Dive! During the month of September, all new free subscribers will be entered to win Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, plus 5 mystery books from The Deep Dive. To enter, simply start a free subscription to The Deep Dive. No payment method required!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Discussed in this Episode:First Edition!First Edition on Twitter. First Edition on Instagram. The First Edition (free) Substack.The Book Riot Podcast PatreonListener feedback re: The Book of Hov.Kirkus Prize finalistsThe Bee Sting by Paul MurrayThe Great White Bard by Farah Karim-CooperThe Guest by Emma ClineThe Fraud by Zadie SmithLegends & Lattes by Travis BaldreeOnce Upon a Tome by Oliver Darkshire Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 28, 2023 • 41min
Guest Post: Modern Indie Bookselling with Josh Cook
Jeff and Rebecca are out this week, wrapping up the last bits of summer vacation, so we are dropping Jeff's recent interview on First Edition with Josh Cook into the feed.On the occasion of his new book, The Art of Libromancy: Selling Books and Reading Books in the 21st Century, Josh Cook of Porter Square books joins Jeff for a conversation about modern indie bookselling.Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack.Wanna escape the Dog Days of summer with purrfect book recommendations? Let Tailored Book Recommendations pick awesome books to keep you entertained. Touch grass, grab some lemonade, and enjoy TBR's picks.Discussed in this episode:Check out First Edition on Twitter, on Substack, and on Instagram.And if you have a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts, please and thank you!Email First Edition at firstedition@bookriot.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 21, 2023 • 52min
It's All Connected
The podcast discusses book banning news, absurd behavior in Texas, and Jay-Z's partnership with the Brooklyn Public Library. Topics include parental perceptions of libraries, a school district's approach to banned books, and the erosion of trust in traditional journalism.

Aug 14, 2023 • 1h 1min
The Internet's Disappointed Mom
Rebecca and Vanessa talk about a trio of AI-related publishing shenanigans, the private equity firm that bought Simon & Schuster, and a cringey moment for the hockey romance community.For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter!Looking for fascinating stories, informed takes, useful advice, and more drawn from our collective experience as power readers, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and bookish professionals? Subscribe to The Deep Dive, a biweekly newsletter featuring stories to inform and inspire readers, to get exclusive content delivered to your inbox!Links Discussed in the EpisodeBig congrats to Kelly on a well-deserved commendationLiterary Activism NewsletterParamount agrees to sell S & S to private equity firm KKRAI-generated travel books are the latest Amazon scamAuthor fights Amazon to have AI books listed under name removedAI fiction analytics site Prosecraft shut down after author backlashThis hockey romance BookTok stuff is wild Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices