
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

Jul 13, 2020 • 1h 11min
The Egg and the Wall
This week, Jeff and Rebecca lap up the drops of tea spilling from Mary Trump’s book, talk about the coming wave of new releases, and get into that Harper letter.
This episode is sponsored by:
Becoming Duchess Goldblatt: A Memoir by Anonymous
Girl, Serpent, Thorn by Melissa Bashardoust
Amazon Publishing
Book Riot Insiders
Discussed in this episode
The Egg and the Wall by Haruki Murakami
Popper’s Paradox aka The Paradox of Tolerance
Mary L Trump book dropping 2 weeks early bc of demand
ABA bylaws
Phoebe Robinson gets imprint at Plume
Nan Talese retiring
Simon & Schuster names Dana Canedy as Publisher
All the ugh in the world for Harpers
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Jul 6, 2020 • 47min
It's An Honest Moustache
Jeff and Rebecca talk some new Trump books, some non-fun Dan Brown news, a hero of the week, and much more.
This episode is sponsored by:
These Nameless Things by Shawn Smucker
Portrait in Sepia, Inés of My Soul, The Infinite Plan, Daughter of Fortune, and Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel Allende
Thicker Than Blood by Mike Omer
Book Riot Insiders, the digital hangout spot for the Book Riot community
Discussed in this episode:
NBCC update
Boston U’s Center for Antiracist Research launches, founder Ibram X Kendi
Print sales have unexpected high
HBO wins The Vanishing Half in 7-figure bidding war
DAN BROWN OH NO
Hero of the week: teen created app that gets millions to read short stories by text message
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Jun 29, 2020 • 48min
The B is for Beats
This week, Jeff and Rebecca talk about white people being upset at Black-owned bookstores for not getting them their anti-racist books fast enough (this is not a joke), how you should NOT repeat NOT microwave your library books, how Sherlock Holmes having feelings is a apparently a matter that needs adjudication, and much more.
This episode is sponsored by:
Hey YA, Book Riot’s own podcast about all things young adult lit
TBR: Tailored Book Recommendations, Book Riot’s personalized reading recommendation service, which now has gifting!
Discussed in this episode:
NBCC update
Macmillan CEO steps back from day to day operations
Amazon’s Best Books of the Year so far list
Be patient with bookstores
Arthur Conan Doyle’s estate sue’s Netflix for giving Sherlock Holmes too many feelings
GRRM reports “steady progress” on next GoT book
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Jun 24, 2020 • 59min
THE VANISHING HALF by Brit Bennett
Rebecca, Vanessa, and Sharifah discuss The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett.
This episode is sponsored by:
Hey YA, Book Riot’s own podcast about all things young adult lit
Harper Perennial and Twisted by Emma Dabiri
TBR: Tailored Book Recommendations, Book Riot’s personalized reading recommendation service, which now has gifting!
Book Riot Insiders, the digital hangout spot for the Book Riot community
Also mentioned in this episode:
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Passing by Nella Larsen
The House Behind the Cedars by Charles W. Chestnutt
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Jun 22, 2020 • 58min
Stealthily Moving Needles
This week, Jeff and Rebecca talk about the NBCC imploding, campaigns to buy books by Black authors, Marley Dias continuing awesomeness, and much more.
This episode is sponsored by:
Hey YA
TBR
The Secret Women from Amistad Books
Neon, presenting Shirley starring Elisabeth Moss.
Discussed in this episode:
Book Riot’s Reader Survey
NBCC board in shambles because racism
#BlackoutBestsellerList
Jefferson Davis home to lose Literary Landmark designation
Marley Dias continues to be a hero
Deacon King Kong by James McBride
The Deficit Myth by Stephanie Kelton
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Jun 15, 2020 • 52min
A Bunch of Whatever Nimrods
Rebecca and Amanda discuss Book Riot’s response to JK Rowling, the latest news on publishers’ plans to reopen, and two movements for racial equity in the industry.
This episode is sponsored by:
Fair Warning by Michael Connelly
American Gods, vol 3 by Neil Gaiman, P. Craig Russell, and Scott Hampton
Book Riot’s Hey YA podcast
Links discussed in the show:
Publishers won’t consider reopening until September
#PublishingPaidMe
Publishing Employees’ Day of Action & Publishers’ Responses
The NYT covers #PublishingPaidMe and the Day of Action
Book-Delivering Drones in Virginia
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Jun 8, 2020 • 1h 1min
You Should Be Uncomfortable
Jeff and Rebecca talk about how this week’s protests against systemic racism and police brutality intersect with the world of books and give the best advice they can to a long-time listener entering a new phase of life.
This episode is sponsored by:
TBR
Bombas Pride
Don’t Make a Sound: A Sawyer Brooks Thriller Kindle Edition
by T.R. Ragan
The Last Flight by Julie Clark
Discussed in this episode:
The Vanishing Half
Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson
Me and White Supremacy
So You Want to Talk about Race
Skill in Action
PW to hire writer to cover issues of race & diversity in publishing
5 Books About Black Movements and Systemic Racism in America
Stamped from the Beginning Available Free on Spotify
Lee and Low’s Infographic on Black Employment in Publishing
Snoop Dogg to make series adaption of Joe Ide’s IQ books
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Jun 1, 2020 • 1h 1min
Whatever Falls Your Crest
Jeff and Rebecca run through a bunch of listener feedback, discuss celebrity bookshelves, and talk about the huge sales for The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.
This episode is sponsored by:
Amazon Publishing
TBR
The Boy Who Followed His Father into Auschwitz by Jeremy Dronfield
Book Riot Insiders
Discussed in this episode:
Annotated episode about Belle de Costa Greene
The World’s Strongest Librarian by Josh Hanagarne
This Book is Overdue by Marilyn Johnson
Charity and Sylvia by Rachel Hope Cleves
When Women Were Birds by TTW
Invisible Man
New Hunger Games book sells 500k copies
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May 27, 2020 • 1h 6min
What's Getting Us Through Right Now
Jeff and Rebecca talk about non-book things that are helping them get through the day these days.
This episode is sponsored by:
Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev
TBR
Libro.fm
Book Riot Insiders
Music Recommendation (and outro hit):
Rachael & Vinlay
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May 20, 2020 • 1h 24min
2020 Moms, Dads, and Grad Recommendation Show
Jeff and Rebecca field listener recommendation requests.
This episode is sponsored by:
TBR
Libro.fm
Book Riot Insiders
Devoted by Dean Koontz
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