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Book Club with Michael Smerconish

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Donald Trump
Social Media
Ronald Reagan
Mental Health
Covid-19
John F. Kennedy
Vietnam War
Hillary Clinton
2016 Presidential Election
United States
FBI
Barack Obama
CIA
Russia
Free Speech
Cold War
Joe Biden
Nelson Demille
Artificial Intelligence
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Reading for Independent Minds. Unlike many author interviews, if Michael didn't actually read the book, you won't hear about it. If he read it, you'll hear it and you'll love it. Insights into a wide range of topics, including many titles you've probably never heard of. The perfect book is just one listen away.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes554Founded5 years ago
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BooksArtsDaily NewsNews

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Latest Episodes

Michael sits down with media scholar Dr. Joseph Turow to discuss his new book, "The Problem with Personalization: How Advertisers Learned to Make and Break Us from Ancient Times to the AI Age." Their conversation explores how AI, advertisers, and tec... more

Michael speaks with neuroscientist and educator Dr. Jared Horvath about his provocative book, "The Digital Delusion:How Classroom Technology Harms Our Kids' Learning–and How to Help Them Thrive Again." Drawing on cognitive science and classroom data,... more

Tad Devine, chief strategist for Bernie Sanders' 2016 presidential campaign, joins Michael Smerconish to discuss his book, "How the Democrats Screwed Bernie." Devine argues that the Democratic establishment tilted the primary process against Sanders,... more

Michael Smerconish sits down with veteran pollster Douglas Schoen and political strategist Carly Cooperman to discuss their book, "America: Unite or Die: How to Save Our Democracy." They examine the growing political polarization threatening America'... more

Key Facts

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Accepts Sponsors
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Recent Guests

Joseph Turow
Author of The Problem with Personalization
Annenberg School for Communication, University of Pennsylvania
Episode: Dr. Joseph Turow: "The Problem With Personalization"
Dr. Jared Horvath
Author of The Digital Delusion, neuroscientist and educator
Author, The Digital Delusion
Episode: Dr. Jared Horvath: "The Digital Delusion"
Tad Devine
Democratic political strategist, chief strategist for Bernie Sanders in 2016
Campaigns for Bernie Sanders; consultant
Episode: Tad Devine: "How The Democrats Screwed Bernie"
Douglas Schoen
Renowned pollster and Democratic political analyst
Schoen Cooperman Research
Episode: Doug Schoen & Carly Cooperman: "America: Unite Or Die"
Carly Cooperman
CEO of Schoen Cooperman Research
Schoen Cooperman Research
Episode: Doug Schoen & Carly Cooperman: "America: Unite Or Die"
Rye Barcott
Author of Courage Can Save Us; Co-founder/CEO of With Honor
With Honor
Episode: Rye Barcott: "Courage Can Save US"
Jeremy Bernard
Former White House Social Secretary (Obama era)
Former White House staff
Episode: Jeremy Bernard: "Treating People Well"
Benjamin Carson
World-renowned pediatric neurosurgeon, author, and political commentator
One Nation (book); formerly Johns Hopkins
Episode: Dr. Ben Carson: "One Nation"
Lloyd Blankfein
Former chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs
Goldman Sachs
Episode: Lloyd Blankfein: "Streetwise"

Host

Michael Smerconish
Host of Book Club with Michael Smerconish

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 110 ratings
  • Audio quality

    I like this podcast when I can hear it. Unfortunately, most of the episodes I’ve listened to have had terrible audio quality on the quests. They should have been able to figure out smooth audio by now.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    printedvintage
    Canada6 months ago
  • Interview with a vanLier

    When you choose to interview Tapper it’s the same as playing with pigs. You get muddy and realize you’re playing with a pig.

    Sorry you put yourself in the role of joining Tapper and his lies. Was he lying when he said Biden just had a stutter and was sharp or is he lying now that he wishes he had covered the story?

    Many good books out there with authors who have knowledge, integrity, and have done hard work. This book is the product of none of that.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    moving on-missu
    United Statesa year ago
  • New To Bookclub

    I listen to Michael on SiriusXM, but only recently found the book club podcast. It is great! I put it on while I’m doing things around the house and just let it play one episode to the next. The variety I’m authors and topics is amazing.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    jkguhcdf
    United States3 years ago
  • Too rushed

    Interviews are way too short. When he does actually have an interesting guest it’s over in no time.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Project Pratt
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Audio quality is praised when clear, but several episodes suffer from inconsistent sound.
New listeners enjoy the variety of authors and topics across episodes.
Some feedback notes short interview lengths and desire for deeper dives.
Interviews with strong guests are appreciated, though some listeners feel pacing could be tighter.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#118
Indonesia/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#169
Saudi Arabia/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#201
Denmark/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#241
Saudi Arabia/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#246
Indonesia/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#249
Hong Kong/Arts/Books

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Rye Barcott: "Courage Can Save US"
Q: How did you decide the ten individuals that you'd write about?
The ten were selected from people I've known through With Honor, all of whom embody courage in public service and have demonstrated a willingness to work across party lines; I spent years building trust to tell their stories.
Rye Barcott: "Courage Can Save US"
Q: Hey, Rye, I want to test some data out on you assembled by my Cracker Jack staff that I think is going to make some important points. Does this sound right?
Yes, the data show that veterans tend to be more effective at moving legislation and crossing the aisle, underscoring why veteran leadership matters in government.
Dr. Jared Horvath: "The Digital Delusion"
Q: What's going on cognitively with us when we're looking and learning from a computer versus a book and a lecture and a pencil and a teacher?
Horvath explains that screens alter the reading experience, reducing depth of processing and the memory map we form, which can hinder durable learning compared to reading physical books, lectures, and pencil-and-paper methods.
Dr. Joseph Turow: "The Problem With Personalization"
Q: What are the political and social ramifications of personalization?
Conversation covers how AI-delivered, tailored commentary could create biased perception and deepen divisions, limiting shared civic experiences and dialogue.
Dr. Joseph Turow: "The Problem With Personalization"
Q: What is your favorite way of illustrating how much data is known about us now?
Turow describes real-time ad customization based on what viewers watch, where they are, who they know, and sensitive information, illustrating the depth of profiling today.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
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Professions
Age Range
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Frequently Asked Questions About Book Club

What is Book Club about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The program features in-depth conversations with authors, journalists, and thought leaders who explore politics, civics, history, leadership, and public policy through books and current events. Guests range from notable historians and legal scholars to politicians and business leaders, with regular attention to democracy, free speech, and civic engagement. The host leans into accessible analyses of complex topics, often connecting historical context to contemporary issues, while inviting personal anecdotes and practical takeaways for listeners. A notable pattern is thoughtful, book-centered discourse that pairs rigorous ideas with engaging storytelling, occasionally supplemented by sponsor messages during longer interviews.

Where can I find podcast stats for Book Club?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Book Club. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Book Club and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Book Club get?

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What are the audience demographics for Book Club?

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How many subscribers and views does Book Club have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Book Club has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Book Club?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Book Club:

1. The Smerconish Podcast
2. Smerconish on CNN
3. Next Question with Katie Couric
4. Chasing Life with Dr. Sanjay Gupta
5. The Daily

How many episodes of Book Club are there?

Book Club launched 5 years ago and published 554 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Book Club?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Book Club?

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What guests have appeared on Book Club?

Recent guests on Book Club include:

1. Joseph Turow
2. Dr. Jared Horvath
3. Tad Devine
4. Douglas Schoen
5. Carly Cooperman
6. Rye Barcott
7. Jeremy Bernard
8. Benjamin Carson

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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