Book Riot - The Podcast

Jeff and Rebecca recount their favorite reads of 2020. Discussed in this episode: Intimations by Zadie Smith Eat a Peach by David Chang The Beauty in Breaking by Michele Harper The Deficit Myth by Stephanie Kelton We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry Group by Christie Tate The Switch by Beth O’Leary The Wisdom of Finance by Mihir Desai Deacon King Kong by James McBride Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Crosby The Lost Man by Jane Harper Weather by Jenny Offill See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca talk about PRH buying Simon & Schuster, survey best books of the year lists, and much more. Discussed in this episode: The 2021 Read Harder Challenge is here!  PRH buys Simon & Schuster  Opposition to the PRH purchase  Reed retires BEA and BookCon  Amazon Best Books of 2020  NYT top 10 Book biz supply chain doing OK so far  Bob Woodward writing the book about Trump’s last days in the white house See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca their 2020 Holiday book recommendations. Discussed in this episode: Force of Nature by Jane Harper  The Secret History by Donna Tartt Idaho by Emily Ruskovich A Separation by Katie Kitamura The Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell Radical Dharma Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb Hieroglyphics by Jill McCorkle Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan Intimations by Zadie Smith Station Eleven by Emily Mandel Find Me by Laura van den Berg Blindness by Jose Saramago The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai  Sweet Magnolias series by Sherryl Woods Spice by Seressia Glass 100 Must-Read Books: Food in Fiction Little French Bistro by Nina George The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis The Alchemy of Us by Anissa Ramirez Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari The 99% Invisible City Saga by Brian K Vaughn and Fiona Staples Atlas Obscura Born a Crime by Trevor Noah Stalking God by Anjali K

Jeff and Rebecca give book recommendations in response to reader requests. Discussed in this episode:  In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan  Kings Queens & In-Betweens by Tanya Boteju This Is What It Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow Paper Girls by Brian Vaughn and Cliff Chiang  Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer Heart Berries by Therese Marie Mailhot House Made of Dawn by M Scott Momaday The Surrounded by D’Arcy McNickle Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead Wake Siren by Nina McLaughlin The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas Circe by Madeline Miller World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil Big Friendship by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin The Woman Next Door by Yewande Omotoso Deacon King Kong by James McBride 2 AM at the Cat’s Pajamas by Marie Helen-Bertino Debbie Macomber’s Blossom Street series How to Knit a Love Song by R

Jeff and Rebecca go over some A Promised Land sales numbers, look over the National Book Award winners, check in with the sale of Simon & Schuster, and much more. This episode is sponsored by: This episode is sponsored by The Orchard by David Hopen, HarperCollins Children’s Books/Quill Tree Books, TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service. Discussed in this episode: Ugh Chimamanda Listener query: Any uplifting YA books you can recommend for a “new” non-binary/genderqueer to have during free time? Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang Felix Ever After by Kacen Callendar Dreadnought by April Daniels Brightsiders by Jen Wilde One in Every Crowd by Ivan Coyote Euphoria Kids by Allison Evans Obama memoir breaks first-day sales record..or does he? National Book Awards Ongoing: Chicago Public Library says eliminating late fees has paid off PRH and HC are top bidders for Simon & Schuster See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff, Amanda, and Rebecca return to The West Wing. At least for the pilot. This episode is sponsored by: This episode is sponsored by Yen Press, One Night Two Souls Went Walking by Ellen Cooney , TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service, and The Magic Ingredient by Lindy Miller. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca tease their special 2020 Nobel Prize episode, look at the National Book Award longlist, consider an interesting new position at Simon & Schuster, and respond to listener feedback on their half-baked ideas, and more. This episode is sponsored by: This episode is sponsored by She Come By It Natural by Sarah Smarsh , The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab, Rural Voices: 15 Authors Challenge Assumptions About Small-Town America edited by Nora Shalaway Carpenter, and Book Riot’s mystery thriller podcast, Read or Dead. Discussed in this episode: Sad nerd news: Dune is delayed to 2021 Tressie McMillan Cottom, NK Jemisin, and Jacqueline Woodson among MacArthur scholars Sienna Farris named director of multicultural marketing at S & S NBA finalists Women’s Prize excluding trans & nonbinary writers on basis of “sex as defined by law” Lumberjanes in development at HBO Max! Fox News starting book line at HarperCollins   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more

Jeff and Rebecca pitch ideas that are not quite ready for prime-time. This episode is sponsored by Grand Central Publishing and Iris Johansen’s CHAOS , Daddy Daughter Day by Jeff Bridges and Isabelle Bridges-Boesch, Welcome to the United States of Anxiety by Jen Lancaster, and Book Riot’s mystery thriller podcast, Read or Dead. Discussed in this episode: Half-Baked Ideas, Volume 1 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca talk about Amazon’s apparent discount decline, a new Executive Editor at Random House, another major James Patterson donation, and much more. This episode is sponsored by: This episode is sponsored by Bombas , Skyhunter by Marie Lu, Witches of Brooklyn by Sophie Escabasse, and Book Riot’s mystery thriller podcast, Read or Dead . Discussed in this episode: Jamia Wilson named Exec Editor at Random House Follow-up: Phoebe Robinson announces first books for her Tiny Reparations imprint Ongoing: publishers worry as ebook library checkouts soar James Patterson donates $2.5 million to teachers during covid First look at Underground Railroad looks gooooood Money by Jacob Goldstein See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Liberty Hardy of All the Books! and Rincey Abrams of Read or Dead join Jeff to talk about Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi. THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: This episode is sponsored by The Return by Nicholas Sparks , Fence: Striking Distance by Sarah Rees Brennan, TBR, and Book Riot Insiders See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices