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Artwork for Between The Covers : Conversations with Writers in Fiction, Nonfiction & Poetry

Between The Covers : Conversations with Writers in Fiction, Nonfiction & Poetry

David Naimon, Milkweed Editions
Poetry
Colonialism
Identity
Literature
Grief
Memory
Memoir
Feminism
Language
Death
Ecology
Palestine
The Story Game
Theory & Practice
Trans Rights
Tone
Duet For One
Reincarnation
Family Dynamics
Women's Literature

BOOKS ∙ WORKSHOPS ∙ PODCAST

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes356Founded14 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
BooksArtsFiction

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Artwork for Between The Covers : Conversations with Writers in Fiction, Nonfiction & Poetry

Latest Episodes

Layli Long Soldier returns to the show to discuss her latest remarkable poetry collection We (and/or Wé). We talk about these two connotations of we/wé, the questions of address, audience, identity and kinship implicit in them both. We explore the ma... more

Today’s unforgettable archival conversation with Elvia Wilk was recorded in-person in 2019 on the occasion of the release of her debut novel Oval. Wilk takes questions of self and other, nature and culture, human and non-human into the dystopic near-... more

Today’s archival episode with Marlon James was recorded in 2019 at the studios of KBOO community radio. Marlon’s latest book The Disappearers has garnered the most talked about book review of this year, from the New York Times book critic Dwight Garn... more

YouTube

China Miéville’s much-anticipated new book The Rouse is twenty-one years in the making. He was writing it when he wrote The City & The City and Embassytown. He was writing it when he wrote October: The Story of the Russian Revolution and A Spectre Ha... more

YouTube

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Recent Guests

Elvia Wilk
Author of Oval
Soft Skull Press
Episode: From the Archives : Elvia Wilk : Oval
Marlon James
Author of Black Leopard, Red Wolf; Booker Prize winner for A Brief History of Seven Killings
Author, The Disappearers; Black Leopard, Red Wolf
Episode: From the Archives : Marlon James : Black Leopard, Red Wolf
Geordi Rosenberg
Writer, thinker, and recent guest who asks questions in the interview
Writer (Night Night Fawn discussion)
Episode: China Miéville : The Rouse
Paul Tremblay
Author of horror and crime novels, contributor of a quick question
Author
Episode: China Miéville : The Rouse
Tarek Goddard
Founder and publisher of Zero Books and Repeater Books
Zero Books / Repeater Books
Episode: China Miéville : The Rouse
Thalia Field
Writer/artist and contributor to Creature Needs
Author of It Lasts Forever and Then It's Over; Creature Needs contributor
Episode: Milkweed Live : Creature Needs with Thalia Field, David Naimon & Anne de Marcken
Anne de Marcken
Moderator; author and publisher
The Third Thing (small press)
Episode: Milkweed Live : Creature Needs with Thalia Field, David Naimon & Anne de Marcken
Hajjar Baban
Poet and author of Low Flying Planes
Milkweed Editions
Episode: Hajjar Baban : Low Flying Planes
Morgan Parker
Poet, essayist, and author of Magical Negro
Tin House Books
Episode: From the Archives : Morgan Parker : Magical Negro

Host

David Naimon
Host of Between The Covers, guiding conversations with writers and shaping deep literary dialogue

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 913 ratings
  • So Good

    As others have written this podcast is to be greatly admired. David, the host, has clearly done a huge amount of reading/ research prior to each episode so the explorations with each of the authors interviewed are so rewarding to listen to. I am immensely grateful to be able to listen to this podcast and wholly recommend it to anyone who is / might be interested in literature. Thank you.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    PineGroveCharlie
    United Kingdom6 months ago
  • What a gift!

    I decided to go back to the beginning while I wait for a new conversation. I’m so grateful for the expansive archive you’ve built and made accessible. And I’m re-listening, too. I’m going back for another dose of you and Brandon Shimoda. We need a kind of club for these chats. I don’t even know where to start with that. I feel bereft after each podcast. Every last one.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jobitek
    Canada7 months ago
  • Thrilling and thought-provoking

    Thank you for the episode with the glorious Robin Coste Lewis

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lisa Blumenfeld
    United Statesa year ago
  • Incredibly rich and deep

    Absolutely gorgeous guests, thoughtful preparation and profound conversations. My only request would be for the host to speak about 40% less to let the guests take up more time. While David’s questions are often so rich and steeped in care, sometimes they tend to center him and his thinking instead of the guest. I still found both episodes I listened to deeply moving and transcendent but I did find myself craving more of the guest’s voice. Thank you though that this exists what a gift!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    LLaurenne
    United Statesa year ago
  • Best Lit Podcast out there

    One time I thought this podcast was being cancelled and I literally sank to the kitchen floor in tears. David Naimon does so many writers so much justice and you can hear it in their responses

    to his incredibly thoughtful questions. This podcast is a beautiful portal to webs of writers dreaming and writing towards better worlds !

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    lolalou89
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners praise the host's meticulous preparation and thoughtful questions.
Guests consistently provide rich, nuanced discussions and deep dives into their work.
Some listeners wish guests had more speaking time to foreground their voices.
The archive is described as a valuable resource with extensive research linked to episodes.
Content is noted as highly rewarding for serious readers, though occasionally dense.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#60
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#148
United States/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#37
United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#99
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#152
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#104
Australia/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

China Miéville : The Rouse
Q: Do you see The Rouse as allegorical, or is it something that resists straightforward allegory?
Miéville argues that while there are thematic resonances with politics and philosophy, the book resists simple allegory, aiming for constitutive ambiguity and a form that can bear multiple meanings simultaneously.
China Miéville : The Rouse
Q: How did you approach the language and line work to convey the terror of language and the paranormal without becoming didactic?
He explains a deliberate move to pace and rupture sentences, drawing on maximalist and Hebraic linguistic principles, to create a language that haunted the narrative rather than merely describing it, allowing for ambiguity and multiple interpretations.
China Miéville : The Rouse
Q: What inspired the structure of The Rouse, with its initial focus on a single mother in the 70s and the later broader historical sweep?
Miéville describes a core impulse to record epochal change through intimate experience, using the personal as a lens to reveal broader geopolitical and historical shifts, while experimenting with form to reflect the fracture of language and memory.
Milkweed Live : Creature Needs with Thalia Field, David Naimon & Anne de Marcken
Q: Em Freeman asks, did writing your pieces change you in some way? And if so, how were you changed?
Both writers describe a process of learning through engagement with unfamiliar subjects, expanding their sense of hearing, perception, and the ethical dimensions of representing non-human consciousness; writing becomes a method of deepening empathy and is itself a form of inquiry.
From the Archives : Morgan Parker : Magical Negro
Q: How do repetition and the concept of time function in Magical Negro, and what do you hope readers take away about progress and Black history?
She argues that repetition enacts both history and resistance, challenging readers to recognize ongoing Black persistence beyond fashionable urgency. The book asks readers to confront cycles of oppression and the ways in which time has been weaponized, offering a more nuanced sense of progress.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About This Podcast

What is This Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A rigorous literary interview series that foregrounds deep reading and cross-genre conversation. Guests span fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, with episodes often centering memory, language, borders, care, and world-building through archive, translation, and form. The host's meticulous preparation and broad scholarly reach yield conversations that feel like guided tours of a writer's corpus, making it a strong fit for listeners who want thoughtful, scholarly, and practice-informed discussion about books, ideas, and their real-world contexts.

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These podcasts share a similar audience with this podcast:

1. London Review Bookshop Podcast
2. The New Yorker: Poetry
3. The Shakespeare and Company Interview
4. Otherppl with Brad Listi: Books & Culture
5. The Critic and Her Publics

How many episodes of this podcast are there?

this podcast launched 14 years ago and published 356 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on this podcast?

Recent guests on this podcast include:

1. Elvia Wilk
2. Marlon James
3. Geordi Rosenberg
4. Paul Tremblay
5. Tarek Goddard
6. Thalia Field
7. Anne de Marcken
8. Hajjar Baban

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