
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

Nov 16, 2020 • 60min
Spiritual Cheese
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the lead up to A Promised Land, authors you know by just their first names, a very real literary puzzle, and much more.
This episode is sponsored by:
This episode is sponsored by Just the Two of Us by Ryu Hyang, Bombas, TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service, and Emporia State University’s School of Library & Information Manageme
Discussed in this episode:
A Promised Land by Barack Obama
Oprah & Brad Pitt’s companies adapting The Water Dancer
UK children’s books 8 times more likely to feature animals than characters of color
Literary mystery has 32 million possible solutions, has only been solved 3 times
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Nov 11, 2020 • 1h 13min
Buy, Sell, Hold: 2020's Notable Books
Jeff and Rebecca play a round of Buy/Sell/Hold with some of 2020’s most notable books.
This episode is sponsored by:
This episode is sponsored by Henry Holt & Co., Spalding University, TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service, and Miami Book Fair
Books discussed in this episode:
Caste by Isabel Wilkerson
Weather by Jenny Offill
The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
Topics of Conversation by Miranda Popkey
Jack by Marilynne Robinson
The Lying Life of Adults by Elena Ferrante
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
Midnight Sun by Stephanie Meyer
A Promised Land by Barack Obama
The Mirror and the Light by Hilary Mantel
Real Life by Brandon Taylor
Eat a Peach by David Chang
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Nov 9, 2020 • 1h
One Hour of Podcasting
Jeff and Rebecca try to remain focused while doing a bunch of listener follow-up, wonder about HMH’s trade business being for sale, admire PW’s Best Books of 2020 list (mostly), and preview upcoming topics.
This episode is sponsored bY
This episode is sponsored by Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer, Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmberg, TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service, and Emporia State University’s School of Library & Information Management
Discussed in this episode:
92Y podcast
PW best books 2020
HMH exploring sale of trade group
Parents sue NC charter school calling novel POET X “an assault on Christianity”
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Nov 4, 2020 • 60min
Adaptation Wish List
Jeff and Rebecca list their most-wished for bookish adaptations.
This episode is sponsored by:
This episode is sponsored by Zikora by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Whatbook, TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service, and Book Riot Insiders
Discussed in this episode:
The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien
Paradise by Toni Morrison
Dust Tracks on a Road by Zora Neale Hurston
The Arrangements by Maggie Shipstead
Maine by J. Courtney Sullivan
Zone One by Colson Whitehead
Wild Game by Adrienne Brodeur
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
Billion Dollar Whale by Bradley Hope
A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab
The Wangs V. The World by Jade Chang
Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry
The Woman Next Door by Yewande Omotoso
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Nov 2, 2020 • 58min
You Need Three for a Parade
Jeff and Rebecca talk about a call for help and a weird stock purchase at The Strand, more encouraging hires in publishing, an ugly fight at B&N goes away, and how much we really don’t like Audible-only things.
This episode is sponsored by:
This episode is sponsored by Fallen Queen (Mariposa Book 1) by Y. R. Shin, Emporia State University’s School of Library & Information Management, TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service, and The Unspoken by Ian K. Smith.
Discussed in this episode:
Shouts to Bernard Schwartz at the 92nd Street Y – check out their recording of Ethan Hawke reading Gilead
Babysitters Club gets season 2
And Cheryl Strayed is bringing back Dear Sugar as a newsletter
Hachette launches BIPOC imprint
Litigation b/t Barnes & Noble & former CEO ends abruptly
Strand owner buys 6-figures of Amazon stock
And then the Strand got 25,000 orders
Email us! podcast@bookriot.com
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Oct 28, 2020 • 1h 9min
JACK by Marilynne Robinson
Jeff and Rebecca discuss Jack by Marilynne Robinson.
This episode is sponsored by:
This episode is sponsored by Book Trip, by C.J. Duarte, Penguin Random House Audio, TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service, and Book Riot Insiders.
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Oct 26, 2020 • 55min
Gird Your Whatevers
Jeff and Rebecca mostly respond to listener ideas for bonus episodes. Some of it is even about books.
This episode is sponsored by:
This episode is sponsored by Macmillan Podcasts, Book Trip by C.J. Duarte, Mexican Gothic by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia, and Book Riot Insiders.
Discussed in this episode:
First Underground Railroad teaser trailer
Toni Morrison’s apartment
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Oct 21, 2020 • 1h 3min
Adaptation Nation: Little Fires Everywhere, High Fidelity, and Enola Holmes
Jeff and Rebecca discuss the recent adaptations of Little Fires Everywhere, High Fidelity, and Enola Holmes.
This episode is sponsored by:
This episode is sponsored by Yen Press, Nothing Like I Imagined by Mindy Kaling, Penguin Random House Audio, and Book Riot Insiders.
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Oct 19, 2020 • 49min
Word of Mouth for Robots
Jeff and Rebecca ask for ideas for post-election episode topics, go over what is going on with book sales, float the idea of making author “retirements” a bigger deal, and much more.
This episode is sponsored by:
This episode is sponsored by Sips by: Experience the joy of personalized tea discovery. , A Drop of Midnight by Jason Diakité, Watch Over Me by Nina LaCour, and Book Riot Insiders.
Discussed in this episode:
New YorkTimes profile of Madeline McIntosh
Unit sales of print books up 6.4% in first 9 months of 2020
Indie bookstore sales down 40% on average
Bill Bryson says he’s retiring
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Oct 14, 2020 • 1h 7min
(Re)Introducing Ourselves to Louise Glück
Jeff and Rebecca talk about the life and work of 2020 Nobel Laureate Louise Glück, plus an extended discussion of her 1993 poem, “Vespers.”
This episode is sponsored by:
This episode is sponsored by Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse , Amazon Publishing, Read or Dead, and TBR.
Discussed in this episode:
The Collected Poems of Louise Glück
“The Body Artist” by Dan Chiasson
“Vespers” by Louise Glück
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