Book Club with Michael Smerconish

This conversation was recorded the morning of the start of the Conclave to replace Pope Francis. 

In this episode of The Book Club with Michael Smerconish, Michael sits down with Graydon Carter, legendary former editor of Vanity Fair, to discuss his captivating new memoir, "When The Going Was Good: An Editor’s Adventures During the Last Golden Age of Magazines." The conversation is filled with sharp wit, rich anecdotes, and reflections on a media era defined by luxury, talent, and cultural influence—from eyebrow ladies at Condé Nast to Concorde flights, iconic writers, and unforgettable stories. Graydon opens up about what made that era "golden," his life lessons, and why gratitude and grit were at the heart of his editorial success. After the interview, stick around around as listeners weigh in with their own "rules for life," inspired by Graydon’s and Michael’s personal philosophies. Original Air Date 6 May 2025 The book was published on 25 March 2025.

Michael welcomes Admiral William McRaven with his book "Conquering Crisis: Ten Lessons to Learn Before You Need Them." The retired Naval officer and bestselling author tells stories from his life and career that illustrate the principles of effective leadership during times of crisis. Throughout his 40-year career, Admiral McRaven has experienced every manner of calamity imaginable. From managing failed hostage rescues to responding to student unrest, McRaven has learned how to successfully navigate crises—those moments that push the limits of your experience and challenge your confidence, when leadership skills alone may not be enough. Original air date 29 April 2025. The book was published on 22 April 2025.

From September 2007, Michael's conversation with John Mearsheimer, co-author of "The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy." "The Israel Lobby," by John J. Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago and Stephen M. Walt of Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, was one of the most controversial articles in recent memory. Originally published in the London Review of Books in March 2006, it provoked both howls of outrage and cheers of gratitude for challenging what had been a taboo issue in America: the impact of the Israel lobby on U.S. foreign policy.

Michael speaks with Jeffrey Selingo, author of "Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions." The award-winning higher education journalist and New York Times bestselling author's book offers a revealing look from inside the admissions office—one that identifies surprising strategies that will aid in the college search. Getting into a top-ranked college has never seemed more impossible, with acceptance rates at some elite universities dipping into the single digits. In this book, Selingo dispels entrenched notions of how to compete and win at the admissions game, and reveals that teenagers and parents have much to gain by broadening their notion of what qualifies as a “good college.” Original air date 12 March 2021. The book was published on 15 September 2020.

Michael welcomes former Ohio Governor John Kasich, author of "Heaven Help Us: How Faith Communities Inspire Hope, Strengthen Neighborhoods, and Build the Future". In a time of division and cynicism, Kasich shares uplifting stories of faith communities making real change—from churches supporting immigrants to mosques building interfaith bridges. It's a powerful reminder of the hope and strength found in local action and belief. Original air date 18 April 2025. The book was published on 8 April 2025.

Ben Sherwood's "The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life" was so fascinating to Michael that he had him back on for this interview, 11 years after the book was written. Each second of the day, someone in America faces a crisis, whether it's a car accident, violent crime, serious illness, or financial trouble. Given the inevitability of adversity, we all wonder: Who beats the odds and who surrenders? Why do some people bound back and others give up? How can I become the kind of person who survives and thrives? The fascinating, hopeful answers to these questions are found in THE SURVIVORS CLUB. Mr. Sherwood is the former President of Disney-ABC Television Group and ABC News. Original air date 26 May 2020. The book was published on 26 January 2009.

Let’s begin an implausible story with a seemingly simple yet complex question: If you were single, never married with no children or dependents, would you, if you had the opportunity, have lived “on the down low” in a secret apartment in Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia? Tom Garvey did just that - yes he LIVED there - and tells the tale in this incredible story. Original air date 19 March 2021. The book was published on 3 December 2020.

Michael talks to Amie Parnes & Jonathan Allen about "Fight: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House." The authors of the #1 New York Times bestseller 'Shattered' provide a revelatory, inside look at the Biden, Harris, and Trump camps during the 2024 battle for the White House, arguably the most consequential contest in American history. The ride was so wild that it forced a sitting president to drop his re-election bid, a once and future president to survive felony convictions and a would-be assassin’s bullet, and a vice president, unexpectedly thrust into the arena, to mount an unprecedented 107-day campaign to lead the free world. 'Fight' is the backstage story of bloodsport politics in its rawest form—the clawing, backstabbing, and rabble-rousing that drove Donald Trump into the White House and Democrats into the wilderness. At every turn, the combatants went for the jugular, whether they were facing down rivals in the other party or their own. Original air date 7 April 2025. The book was published on 1 April 2025.

Admiral James Stavridis appears on the Book Club Podcast four times. Listen to To Risk It All (Episode #116), 2054 (Episode #354), The Restless Wave (Episode #415), and The Admiral's Bookshelf (#446).