
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

Jun 2, 2021 • 1h 22min
FIELD OF DREAMS
Jeff and Rebecca talk about Field of Dreams and the book its based on, W.P. Kinsella’s Shoeless Joe.
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May 24, 2021 • 1h 15min
The Austen-Industrial Complex
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the listener survey, a new giant ereader, Amazon sort of coming to libraries, and much more.
Discussed in this episode:
Constance Grady weighs in on Pence / S & S, and publishing’s existential crisis:
DPLA signs deal w/ Amazon Publishing to make their ebooks available to libraries
A piece worth reading on cancel culture & breaking up with your childhood faves
GIANT EREADER
Cynthia Ozick responds to negative review from Lionel Shriver in verse
Book It returns!
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May 19, 2021 • 1h 15min
2021 Summer Preview Draft
Jeff and Rebecca compete to draft the best list of Summer 2021 new releases.
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Jeff’s Picks
Somebody’s Daughter by Ashley Ford
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
The Ugly Cry by Danielle Henderson
Filthy Animals by Brandon Taylor
Intimacies by Katie Kitamura
Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder
Committed by Adam Stern
This is Your Mind on Plants by Michael Pollan
How the Word is Passed by Clint Smith
The Appalachian Trail by Philip D’Anieri
Rebecca’s Picks
Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris
After the Fall by Ben Rhodes
The Second: Race and Guns in a Fatally Unequal America
We Are What We Eat by Alice Waters
Dear Senthuran by Akwaeke Emezi
Miseducated by Brandon Fleming
Thanks for Waiting by Doree Shafrir
Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby
The Startup Wife by Tahmima Anam
The Turnout by Megan Abbott
Afterparties by Anthony Veasna So
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May 17, 2021 • 1h 20min
Odyssey of Ache
Jeff and Rebecca set a BR reader poll, talk more about the publication of the Mike Pence book, get into how much authors make, and wonder if a techno-fad has a place in the world of books.
Discussed in this episode:
BR podcast poll: Which of these books have you read?
Jonathan Karp digs in deeper on Pence book *and* there’s a recording of another town hall
How Much Do Authors Make?
NFTs for Books?
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May 10, 2021 • 59min
Count Me Among the Uncool
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the uncoolness of ereading, how Jeff was right in a way that matters, a diversity in writing initiative from Reese’s Book Club, and more.
Discussed in this episode:
Reese’s Book Club offering fellowship for unpublished writers from underrepresented groups
Shouts for Jess Pryde!
Another editorial about What Publishing Stands For
Albuquerque is home to the world’s only Native-owned comic book store
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May 5, 2021 • 1h 45min
2021 Moms, Dads, and Grads Recommendation Show
Jeff and Rebecca respond to listener requests for recommendations for moms, dads, grads (and themselves).
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Books and Authors discussed in this episode:
Shop Class as Soul Craft
Flight: The Complete History of Aviation
The Bomber Mafia by Malcolm Gladwell
How to Build a Car by A. Newey
World of Wonders
In the Dream House
How to Do Nothing
The Night Tiger
The Book of Delights
Rich and Pretty
Bring Your Baggage and Don’t Pack Light
Friends & Strangers
Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler
Summer of Jordi Perez
The Wedding Date
Malibu Rising
The Barbarian Nurseries by Hector Tobar
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke
Real Life by Brandon Taylor
Notes on a Nervous Planet
See No Stranger
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Louise Penny’s Inspector Gamache series
The Thursday Murder Club
While Justice Sleeps by Stacey Abrams
Bluebird, Bluebird by Attica Locke
Do Not Say We Have Nothing
Wild Women and the Blues
Sharks in the Time of Saviors
Dreaming in Cuban by Cristina Garcia
The House of Spirits by Isabelle Allende
Susan Gregg Gilmore
Megan Mayhew Bergman
Jesmyn Ward
The Kingkiller Chronicles by Patrick Rothfuss
How Much of These Hills is Gold by C Pam Zhang
Now My Heart is Full by Laura June
Lexicon by Max Barry
The Gilded Wolves
Finding Meaning
H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald
Blue Nights by Joan Didion
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
The Emperor of All Maladies
Who Ate the First Oyster?
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone
The Group
In the Time of Butterflies by Julia Alvarez
Trace by Lauret E. Savoy
Earth Keeper by N Scott Momaday
Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby
Your House Will Pay
When No One is Watching
Deacon King Kong by James McBride
Klara & the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Manhood for Amateurs by Michael Chabon
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May 3, 2021 • 1h 1min
The Train is People
Jeff and Rebecca check-in on the rolling reckoning, talk about dedicated e-readers, Murakami’s thsirt line, and more.
Haruki Murakami’s t-shirt line is live
Follow up: Open letter from publishing professionals against book deals for any member of Trump Administration
Follow up: Norton pulls Roth biography out of print
Big NYT coverage of the rolling reckoning
Big snaps to Ron Charles
Follow-up: Amazon giving 500,000 workers raises as unionizing efforts increase
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Apr 26, 2021 • 1h 8min
The Rolling Reckoning
Jeff and Rebecca follow up about Simon & Schuster’s relationship with Post Hill Press, a employee petition at Simon & Schuster (and the CEO’s response), Norton pulling a major book, listener feedback, and more.
Discussed in this episode:
The Book Riot giveaway featuring Noise by Daniel Kahneman
Follow-up: S & S refuses to distribute book by officer involved in Breonna Taylor’s death
And S & S employees protest Mike Pence book deal
The CEO responded
Bigger context piece about how this represents a new challenge for publishers
Multiple alllegations of sexual misconduct surface against Blake Bailey, Norton pull his Roth biography
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Apr 19, 2021 • 1h 9min
Several Trepidations
Jeff and Rebecca do listener feedback, interrogate what a podcast “read-a-long” does/could mean, stand in awe of Amanda Gorman’s book sales, talk a little George R.R. Martin, and much more.
Discussed in this episode:
Amanda Gorman is first poet to claim #1 spot on USA Today bestsellers
Amazon workers in Bessemer, AL vote against unionization
Unpublished Richard Wright novel about police brutality to be released
Officer involved in Breonna Taylor’s death gets a book deal, S & S will distribute
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Apr 12, 2021 • 1h 7min
Piñata of Lies
In this special, live-streamed episode, Jeff and Rebecca continue to argue about/refine a “Should I Read This?” segment/special episode series, are a little surprised at the Mike Pence book deal, perform their annual lament at the most challenged books of the year, and much more.
Discussed in this episode:
ALA releases most challenged books of 2020
Guardian coverage includes some author responses
Dana Canedy acquires two Mike Pence memoirs for S & S
New book contains a puzzle that, if solved, reader will win a golden casket
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