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New Books in Biography & Memoir

Marshall Poe
George Orwell
Bob Dylan
Civil Rights Movement
World War II
New York City
Basketball
Thomas Jefferson
The Cure
Carole King
Poland
Spanish Civil War
Nazi Germany
Harry Bucky Lew
Mental Health
Trauma
Music
Hollywood
Marxism
Kwame Nkrumah
Pan-Africanism

This podcast is a channel on the New Books Network. The New Books Network is an academic audio library dedicated to public education. In each episode you will hear scholars discuss their recently published research with another expert in their field. Discover our 150+ channels and browse our 28,000+ episodes on our website: ⁠newbooksnetwork.com⁠ Subscribe to our free weekly Substack newsletter to ... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes2059Founded16 years ago
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Artwork for New Books in Biography & Memoir

Latest Episodes

Chekhov liked to joke that he was a doctor by profession and merely did literary work in his spare time. Behind the joke lies an intriguing truth. We remember Chekhov as a towering literary figure, but medicine and humanitarian work occupied much of ... more

In Rehearsing the Future: The Thought and Practice of James and Grace Lee Boggs (AK Press, 2026), Michael Doan explores the work and legacy of James and Grace Lee Boggs, two of the most influential American radical thinkers of the twentieth century. ... more

In this latest Books for Better Understanding video from Notre Dame Press, Jake Kildoo facilitates a conversation between Rabbi Irving "Yitz" Greenberg and Ariel Burger about the new introductions they wrote for NDP's recently released expanded editi... more

A Protestant Air: Gide, Sartre, Barthes, and the Religion of Literary Modernity (Cornell UP, 2026) focuses on the Protestant connection linking three intellectual giants of twentieth-century French thought. All three came from a Protestant background... more

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Recent Guests

Jennifer de Mooy
Writer with 40 years of experience in conservation, environmental protection and climate policy
Episode: Water, Carbon, Time: Exploring Peatlands in a Warming World with Jennifer de Mooy (U Minnesota Press, 2026)
Keri Leigh Merritt
Historian and writer, author of Masterless Men: Poor Whites and Slavery in the Antebellum South
Episode: An Inconvenient Woman: The Extraordinary Life of Lillian Smith, the Southerner Who Defied Jim Crow America with Keri Leigh Merritt (St. Martin's Press, 2026)
Christopher J. Leahy
Professor of history and author of President Without a Party: The Life of John Tyler
Keuka College
Episode: Presidentess: The Life of First Lady Julia Gardner Tyler with Christopher J. Leahy and Sharon Williams Leahy (UP of Kansas, 2026)
Sharon Williams Leahy
Independent scholar and First Ladies historian
Episode: Presidentess: The Life of First Lady Julia Gardner Tyler with Christopher J. Leahy and Sharon Williams Leahy (UP of Kansas, 2026)
Jesse Wegman
Journalist, former New York Times editorial board member, and senior fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice
Brennan Center for Justice
Episode: The Lost Founder: James Wilson and the Forgotten Fight for a People's Constitution with Jesse Wegman (Celadon Books, 2026)
Merilyn Simonds
Canadian author of twenty books, including memoir, literary fiction and creative nonfiction
Episode: Walking with Beth: Conversations with My 100-Year-Old Friend with Merilyn Simonds (Random House Canada, 2025)
Lauren Nicole Henley
Assistant professor of leadership studies whose research focuses on violent crime in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries
University of Richmond
Episode: Inquisition for Blood: The Making of a Black Female Serial Killer in the Jim Crow South with Lauren Nicole Henley (LSU Press, 2026)
Carol Loeb Shloss
Former Stanford professor of English and Irish literature and scholar of modernist writers
Stanford University
Episode: Flannery and Regina: The Andalusia Chronicles with Carol Loeb Shloss
Amy King
Senior Lecturer in Modern European History at the University of Bristol and author of books on Italian political memory.
University of Bristol
Episode: The Afterlife of a Fascist Murder: Giacomo Matteotti in Myth and Memory, 1924-2024 with Amy King (Cambridge UP, 2026)

Host

Yana Byers
Host of New Books Network interviews; interview lead.

Reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars from 101 ratings
  • Competent interviewers

    The whole New Books Network needs to find brisk and engaging interviewers. I’ll skim the topics to look for interesting books, but I don’t listen anymore.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    dougtex
    United States3 years ago
  • May 2023 review

    Interesting stories; however, the interviewer is boring and many of the story tellers are also boring in their telling of these stories. His does this happen?

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Geoplanter
    United States3 years ago
  • Hard To Like

    The podcast’s concept is interesting, but the execution is hard to like. There are frequent audio challenges. In addition, many of the authors write much better than they speak.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Jim 2020
    United States6 years ago
  • ???

    The echo is too distracting. I think the host is great, but please invest in better equipment.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Foggy Star
    United States10 years ago
  • Arguably Best of the New Books Network

    A terrific host really makes these podcasts rise above even the already high standard of the New Books Network.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    K555566667778
    United States10 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Guests are diverse; strong emphasis on scholarly biographies and archival work.
Audio quality and delivery can be variable, affecting listener experience.
Engaging interviewers with brisk topics helps maintain high standards.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#208
India/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Bernardo de Gálvez: Spanish Hero of the American Revolution with Gonzalo M. Quintero Saravia (UNC Press, 2026)
Q: Why do you think US historians tend to overlook or downplay the role of Spanish forces and influences on the American Revolution?
He cites the Black Legend, Protestant-Catholic contrasts, and the legacy of the Spanish-American War. He also notes that expanding US history beyond the original thirteen colonies brought Spain and its relationships with Native American and Afro-American communities into greater focus.
Bernardo de Gálvez: Spanish Hero of the American Revolution with Gonzalo M. Quintero Saravia (UNC Press, 2026)
Q: What drew you to emphasize the Spanish impact on the US War for Independence?
Quintero Saravia began researching Spain's role while pursuing a PhD in American history, whose scope in Spain includes the Americas. His adviser encouraged him to use his ability to consult French, British, and Spanish sources to develop the history of Spain in what is now the United States.
Cool Heat: Anita O'Day and Her Dangerous Jazz Life with James Gavin (Equinox, 2026)
Q: Could you tell us about the time Anita was arrested for hiding heroin for another band member and how that experience impacted her career?
Gavin explains that pianist Al Haig gave O'Day a package of heroin to hold; she discarded it in a restroom, but police arrested her. She maintained she was not yet addicted to heroin at the time.
Cool Heat: Anita O'Day and Her Dangerous Jazz Life with James Gavin (Equinox, 2026)
Q: Can you just kind of briefly share with us Anita's childhood and what her relationship with her parents were like?
Gavin says O'Day grew up in Chicago with a father who drank and a bitter, unhappy mother who belittled and berated her.
Madhouse at the End of the Earth: The Belgica's Journey into the Dark Antarctic Night with Julian Sancton
Q: What do you think was the greatest mistake done during the trip?
Sancton says de Gerlache's concern about how the press would portray the expedition undermined his authority. Later, he pursued a dangerous southern route without telling the crew, despite the risks and Cook's objections.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About New Books in Biography & Memoir

What is New Books in Biography & Memoir about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show features in-depth author-focused conversations that explore biography, memoir, and related cultural history through newly published books. Episodes often center on how archival material, interviews, and scholarly methods reshape familiar narratives—ranging from literary figures and political leaders to historical events. A distinctive edge is the frequent combination of rigorous scholarship with accessible storytelling, including close readings, archival anecdotes, and discussions of editorial practice. Listeners can expect thoughtful, deeply sourced explorations that illuminate how biographies are built, reinterpreted, and repurposed for contemporary audiences. The format tends to emphasize scholarly context alongside practical s... more

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New Books in Biography & Memoir launched 16 years ago and published 2059 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 New Books in Biography & Memoir?

Recent guests on New Books in Biography & Memoir include:

1. Jennifer de Mooy
2. Keri Leigh Merritt
3. Christopher J. Leahy
4. Sharon Williams Leahy
5. Jesse Wegman
6. Merilyn Simonds
7. Lauren Nicole Henley
8. Carol Loeb Shloss

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