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New Books in Biography & Memoir

Marshall Poe
World War II
Civil Rights Movement
New York City
Mental Health
Holocaust
Hollywood
Fascism
Adolf Hitler
Women's Rights
Jewish Identity
World War I
George Orwell
Biography
Communism
Nazi Germany
Charles C. Diggs Jr.
Jazz
Judaism
Walter Lippmann
Feminism

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

PublishesDailyEpisodes1977Founded15 years ago
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Artwork for New Books in Biography & Memoir

Latest Episodes

Frank Wisner was one of the most powerful men in 1950s Washington, though few knew it. Reporting directly to senior U.S. officials--his work largely hidden from Congress and the public-- Wisner masterminded some of the CIA’s most daring and controver... more

A landmark biography of Charles Sumner, the unsung hero of the American Civil War and Reconstruction

Charles Sumner is mainly known as the abolitionist statesman who suffered a brutal caning on the Senate floor by the proslavery congressman Preston B... more

Caroline Bicks became the first scholar granted extended access by Stephen King to his private archives, a treasure trove of manuscripts that document the legendary writerʼs creative process—most of them never before studied or published. The year sh... more

When twenty-three-year-old Ron LeFlore played his first organized baseball game, it was in a yard at the State Prison of Southern Michigan where he was serving five to fifteen years for armed robbery. An extraordinary athlete, the Detroit native had ... more

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Recent Guests

Dr. Caroline Bicks
Author of Monsters in the Archives, My Year of Fear with Stephen King
University of Maine
Episode: Monsters in the Archives: My Year of Fear with Stephen King
Adam Henig
Author of Baseball's Outcast, The Story of Ron LeFlore
Bloomsbury
Episode: Adam Henig, "Baseball's Outcast: The Story of Ron LeFlore" (Bloomsbury, 2026)
Raymond Williams
PhD, Black Readers Con executive board member, administrator of Resist Booksellers, Black Men Read Book Club
Black Readers Con; Resist Booksellers; Black Men Read Book Club
Episode: Twelve Lives: Creating Literary Community with Raymond Williams, PhD
Yanara Friedland
Writer, translator, and educator; author of Thanatographies
Author of Thanatographies (U Alabama Press, 2026)
Episode: Yanara Friedland, "Thanatographies" (U Alabama Press, 2026)
Nicolas Levi
Researcher at the Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures, Polish Academy of Sciences
Polish Academy of Sciences
Episode: Myung-jin Han with Nicolas Levi, "I Was a North Korean Diplomat: Inside the Secret World of Pyongyang's Foreign Service" (Independently Published, 2026)
Audrey Borowski
Author of Leibniz in His World, The Making of a Savant
University of Cambridge (early fellow and Isaac Newton Trust Fellow)
Episode: Audrey Borowski, "Leibniz in His World: The Making of a Savant" (Princeton UP, 2026)
Kate Crane
Author of Whatever Happened to Eddy Crane
Hanover Square Press
Episode: Kate Crane, "Whatever Happened to Eddy Crane?: A Memoir and an Investigation" (Hanover Square Press, 2026)
Rory Naismith
Professor, author of Offa, King of the Mercians
University of Cambridge, Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic studies
Episode: Rory Naismith, "Offa: King of the Mercians" (Yale UP, 2026)
Elizabeth Rosner
Best-selling novelist, poet, and essayist; author of Third Ear
Catapult (publisher)
Episode: Elizabeth Rosner, "Third Ear: Reflections on the Art and Science of Listening" (Catapult, 2025)

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 States9 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 States9 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Audio quality can be hit or miss; some episodes have echo or muffled guest audio.
A strong selection of intellectual guests and insightful discussions around memory and history.
Engaging interviewers, brisk topics, great book selections for bios/biography fans.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Myung-jin Han with Nicolas Levi, "I Was a North Korean Diplomat: Inside the Secret World of Pyongyang's Foreign Service" (Independently Published, 2026)
Q: What made the North Korean foreign ministry function resemble a corporation more than a traditional ministry?
Levi details centralization of power alongside the ministry's need to generate foreign revenue through affiliated companies, highlighting a bureaucratic economy where diplomacy is tied to financial interests for the regime.
Myung-jin Han with Nicolas Levi, "I Was a North Korean Diplomat: Inside the Secret World of Pyongyang's Foreign Service" (Independently Published, 2026)
Q: Can you tell us more about these experiences and how they compare or contrast with what else you have seen about North Korean elites inside of your sentence?
Nicolas Levi explains Han Jin-myung's elite background, his education at Kim Il-sung University and the University of Foreign Studies, and how his perspective as an elite defector differs from other defectors, providing a nuanced view of North Korean society and its openness to foreign influence.
Audrey Borowski, "Leibniz in His World: The Making of a Savant" (Princeton UP, 2026)
Q: Why does Leibniz matter today?
His portrait as a disembodied genius contrasts with his modern relevance: a misfit who blended idealism with practical action, and who warned against dogmatism while highlighting the importance of diverse perspectives and genuine unity amid fragmentation.
Audrey Borowski, "Leibniz in His World: The Making of a Savant" (Princeton UP, 2026)
Q: How did Paris shape Leibniz's thinking and career?
Paris exposed him to a cutting-edge intellectual ecosystem, allowed access to patrons, academies, and networks, and reinforced the necessity of aligning with power structures to disseminate reformist visions.
Audrey Borowski, "Leibniz in His World: The Making of a Savant" (Princeton UP, 2026)
Q: What makes your book different from other Leibniz biographies?
The book foregrounds Leibniz as a young, human individual navigating real-world constraints, patrons, and daily communications, rather than only his ideas; it also highlights his diverse roles—diplomat, projector, and thinker—and the social and economic contexts that shaped his work.

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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 centers on in-depth conversations with authors, historians, journalists, and scholars about recently published biographies, memoirs, and historical works. Episodes frequently explore memory, truth, archival research, and how personal narratives intersect with broader cultural and historical contexts. Listeners can expect thoughtful analyses of biography as a scholarly pursuit, along with discussions of documentary filmmaking, editorship, and the social impact of literature. A notable strength is the breadth of disciplines represented—from Jewish history and Weimar Berlin to agrarianism, memoirs, and film—delivered through accessible, intellectually rigorous interviews. This breadth makes it a strong fit for listeners who enjoy det... more

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2. London Review Bookshop Podcast
3. Lectures in History
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New Books in Biography & Memoir launched 15 years ago and published 1977 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. Dr. Caroline Bicks
2. Adam Henig
3. Raymond Williams
4. Yanara Friedland
5. Nicolas Levi
6. Audrey Borowski
7. Kate Crane
8. Rory Naismith

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