
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

Mar 27, 2023 • 1h 2min
Break This Coffee Mug and Eat It
Jeff and Rebecca talk about a new podcast project (!), a record year for book bannings, more ChatGPT things (not all of them bad!), BookTok influencer pay, and much more.Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. The show can also be found on Stitcher.For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter!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 Substack.The Book Riot Podcast PatreonBook Riot’s new email newsletter, The Deep DiveWe’re hiring a web developerALA reports attempted book bans nearly doubled in 2022 over 2021 022A new U.S. House resolution will further ignite book bansCoalition urges S & S not to distribute Skyhorse title by AIDS denialistChatGPT listed as author on more than 200 books now available on AmazonAnd the WGA proposes allowing use of ChatGPT in scripts as long as it doesn’t impact author credit/residualsVox does the deep dive on BookTok authenticity Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 20, 2023 • 1h 4min
Temporal Neophytes
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the Chat-GTP4's weak performance on AP English Exams, Leigh Bardugo getting that bag, why modern adults seem befuddled by time, recent reading, and more.Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. The show can also be found on Stitcher.For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Discussed in this episode:The Book Riot Podcast PatreonBook Riot’s new email newsletter, The Deep DiveShout-out to Rioter Susie Dumond, finalist for a Lambda Literary award for best lesbian romanceThe Trans Rights Readathon is a thing, March 20-27 Manuscript thief pleads guilty Leigh Bardugo’s 8-figure Macmillan dealBirnham Wood by Eleanor CattonHello Beautiful by Ann NapolitanoYour Driver is Waiting by Priya Guns Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 13, 2023 • 52min
Give the People What They Want
Jeff and Rebecca talk about Noam Chomsky on AI, women publishing more books than men, a celebrity bookstore acquisition, TikTok getting into publishing, and more.Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. The show can also be found on Stitcher.For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:The Book Riot Podcast PatreonBook Riot’s new email newsletter, The Deep DiveWorth a read: Noam Chomsky isn’t worried about ChatGPT replacing writers/artistsWomen are publishing more books than men, and it’s good for businessChip Gaines buys Larry McMurtry’s Texas bookstoreByteDance hiring an acquisition editor!A take on TikTok via listener AlexEnchantment by Katherine MayThe English Understand Wool by Helen DeWittDyscalculia by Chamonghne Felix Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mar 6, 2023 • 1h 17min
Rabbit-Deer Hybrid Thing
Jeff and Rebecca continue to mull ChatGPT’s potential to change reading, assess another change to “classic” texts, recount recent reading, and more.Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. The show can also be found on Stitcher.For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:The Book Riot Podcast PatreonBook Riot’s new email newsletter, The Deep DiveJames Bond books being updated w/o racist language .htmlRoald Dahl “classic” editions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 27, 2023 • 1h 4min
Buttering the Bricks [Updated]
Book Riot managing editor Vanessa Diaz joins Jeff to talk about the officially-ratified HarperCollins contract, ChatGPT and ebook “authorship,” bookstore rewards programs, cleaning up Roald Dahl, and more.Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. The show can also be found on Stitcher.For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:The Book Riot Podcast PatreonBook Riot’s new email newsletter, The Deep DiveHC union ratifies contractRoald Dahl updated to have more inclusive language, and it’s a whole ThingChatCPT and ebooksBarnes & Noble’s new membership programStone Blind by Natalie Haynes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 20, 2023 • 1h 1min
A Tale as Old as the Medici
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the end of the HarperCollins strike, possible homes for Simon & Schuster, a real mess at Indigo, recent reading, and more.Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. The show can also be found on Stitcher.For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:The Book Riot Podcast PatreonHarperCollins & union reach tentative agreementSimon & Schuster is back on the market…and they had a banner yearCatapult shuttering online magazine & writing classes to focus on publishing programIndigo experiencing some sort of online sales meltdown:The Half-Known World by Pico IyerVictory City by Salman RushdieReading the Glass by Eliot Rappaport Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 13, 2023 • 59min
Riding on a High of Wanting to Be Different
Jeff And Rebecca cover a range of interesting listener emails, catch up with publishing pay raises, look back at 10 years of data from the YA category of New York Times Bestsellers, and discuss some recent reading.Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. The show can also be found on Stitcher.For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:The Book Riot Podcast PatreonTBR for Valentine’s DayWe’re hiring!Site shoutouts: What 10 years of NYT YA bestseller lists reveal about YAJenn took a look at what’s happening in publishing right nowThe Creative Act by Rick RubinVictory City by Salman RushdieThe English Understand Wool by Helen DeWitt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feb 6, 2023 • 1h 7min
Recreational Awe
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the Barnes & Noble renaissance, a new book from Jesmyn Ward, developments in the world of publishing pay, a couple of new books, and much more.Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. The show can also be found on Stitcher.For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Discussed in this episode:The Book Riot Podcast PatreonTBR for Valentine’s DayWe’re hiring!Book Riot has a book about fighting book bansEzra Klein column on Barnes & Noble rings a lot of bellsNew! Jesmyn! Ward!Resignations continue at PRHAnd HC is cutting 5% of workforceHC union members on why they are still strikingScorched Grace by Margot Douihay Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 30, 2023 • 1h 2min
The Apocalypse is For Everybody
Jeff and Rebecca consider listener feedback, talk about Goodreads users’s most anticipated books of 2023, a wild use case for modern chatbots and books, TikTok’s ability to put its thumb on the scale, and much more.Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. The show can also be found on Stitcher.For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:The Book Riot Podcast PatreonTBR for Valentine’s DayWe’re hiring!Update: HarperCollins union reports that HC has agreed to mediationChatbots for Books (this one for Talent by Tyler Cowen):GoodReads readers most anticipated books of 2023TikTok confirms that employees can decide what goes viralLittle Free Library launches Indigenous Library program Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 23, 2023 • 1h 8min
No Country for Old Scuba Divers
Jeff and Rebecca follow up on reading goggles and scorched earth memoirs, look at other angles on unions in publishing, survey what recent-ish books appear on college syllabi, fail to name the Booker Prize statue, and then finally sputter about the new Cormac McCarthy books.Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify. The show can also be found on Stitcher.For more industry news, sign up for our Today in Books daily newsletter!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:The Book Riot Podcast PatreonTBR for Valentine’s DayPW takes a look at the ongoing HC labor disputeCool thing – deep dive into the books from the 90s that appear on college syllabi nowCompetition to name the Booker Prize statue Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices