Book Club with Michael Smerconish

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).

Michael interviews New York Times bestselling author Benjamin Wallace about his new book, "The Mysterious Mr. Nakamoto: A Fifteen-Year Quest to Unmask the Secret Genius Behind Crypto." Wallace delves into the enigma of Satoshi Nakamoto, the elusive creator of Bitcoin, whose identity remains one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of our time. Wallace traces his investigation across the globe, exploring a variety of suspects and the impact of Nakamoto’s invention—from its idealistic beginnings to its current, speculative, and often controversial role in the financial world. Original air date 2 April 2025. The book was published on 18 March 2025.

Michael welcomes New York Times Bestselling author Michael Wolff with his book "All or Nothing: How Trump Recaptured America." In it, Wolff delivers a breathtaking insider account of the 2024 Trump campaign—undoubtedly the wildest, most unpredictable campaign in U.S. history, including multiple criminal trials, two assassination attempts, and a sudden switch of opponents. 'All or Nothing' takes readers on a journey accompanying Donald Trump on his return to power as only Michael Wolff, the foremost chronicler of the Trump era, can do it. Original air date 31 March 2025.

Laura Delano is a writer, speaker, and consultant, and the founder of Inner Compass Initiative, a nonprofit organization that helps people make more informed choices about psychiatric diagnoses, drugs, and drug withdrawal. She is a leading voice in the international movement of people who’ve left behind the medicalized, professionalized mental health industry to build something different. Laura works with individuals and families around the world who are seeking guidance and support for the withdrawal journey and life post-psychiatry. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and children.

Admiral James Stavridis, USN (Ret.), a leader in international business, national security, and global philanthropy, shares the books that facilitated his success. A guide to living and leading through reading, The Admiral’s Bookshelf links twenty-five essential life lessons and leadership principles to the books that best illustrate them. After speaking with him, Michael is then inspired to reveal his top 25 books as well - listen in! Original air date 26 March 2025. The book was published on 18 March 2025.

Alex Isenstadt is a Senior Political Reporter at Axios. Previously, he was National Political reporter at Politico, where he covered Donald Trump since 2015.