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Artwork for NPR's Book of the Day

NPR's Book of the Day

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New York City
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Female Friendship
Grief
Poetry
Artificial Intelligence
World War II
Education
Room 706
Clutch
Reproductive Rights
Eradication
Robert Smalls
Memory
We Fell Apart
Mental Health
The Definitions
Party Of Two
Sexual Abuse
Midlife Challenges

In need of a good read? Or just want to keep up with the books everyone's talking about? NPR's Book of the Day gives you today's very best writing in a snackable, skimmable, pocket-sized podcast. Whether you're looking to engage with the big questions of our times – or temporarily escape from them – we've got an author who will speak to you, all genres, mood and writing styles included. Catch toda... more

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Artwork for NPR's Book of the Day

Latest Episodes

After the big success of the 2014 novel Big Little Lies, which included an award-winning HBO adaptation, author Liane Moriarty says everyone kept asking her for a sequel. Now, that sequel has arrived. Big Little Truths picks up the drama between five... more

In today’s episode, we chat about two new music histories. First, 1986’s Graceland is considered Paul Simon's signature album. It introduced South African music to a global audience and revitalized Simon's career. Author Ashley Kahn spoke with Mornin... more

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As midterm elections approach, former President Joe Biden's legacy still plays a big role in the Democratic Party. Princeton historian Julian Zelizer has edited a new book called The Presidency of Joseph R. Biden, which evaluates Biden’s time in offi... more

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It’s 1989 in Romania and the country is living under a totalitarian regime. In the new novel Astronaut!, an 8-year-old girl craves bright colors among otherwise gray surroundings as she comes of age during the fall of the Iron Curtain. Simultaneously... more

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Recent Guests

Thomas Mullaney
Historian, author of How We Disappear
Stanford University
Episode: 'How We Disappear' is a Stanford historian's take on our personal archives
Kathleen Rooney
Author of Man Overboard!
Episode: In 'Man Overboard!,' Kathleen Rooney approaches a life-or-death story with humor
Chang-Rae Lee
Author of A Tender Age
Author
Episode: Chang-Rae Lee on whether his new novel 'A Tender Age' is autobiographical
Sam Roberts
New York Times obituary reporter and author
The New York Times
Episode: 'New York Times' obituarist Sam Roberts says he writes about life – not death
Drew Buxton
Author of Daytona Teddy Riggs
Author
Episode: In 'Daytona Teddy Riggs,' a former high school football star enters a downward spiral
Ken Salazar
Former senator of Colorado, former Secretary of the Interior, and former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico
U.S. Government/Public Service
Episode: Former U.S. Mexico ambassador Ken Salazar on new memoir and "crisis" at the border
Christina Baker Kline
Author
Author of The Foursome
Episode: In 'The Foursome,' conjoined twins marry two sisters — and that's just the beginning
Andy Weir
Author of Project Hail Mary
Ballantine/Del Rey (publisher)
Episode: Andy Weir reveals his fun and frantic creative process behind 'Project Hail Mary'
Virginia Evans
Author of The Correspondent
Author
Episode: 'The Correspondent' is an epistolary novel, but can letters tell the whole story?

Host

Alyson Adworne
Host of NPR's Book of the Day

Reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars from 951 ratings
  • Love it.

    If you love reading, this is the perfect 10 minute daily dose to remind you of the variety of written work in the world. Short, sweet, well done, enough variety to make me wonder each time.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mmmwill
    United States3 months ago
  • I’m sorry

    But I will give you 3 stars I hope that’s enough 😉

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Badboy15👻
    United States8 months ago
  • Love the podcast!

    Thanks so much for a thoughtful podcast about a wide variety of quality books!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    tcfan18
    United States8 months ago
  • Good Stuff

    Some of these books are classics. Haven’t read them since high school and it has been a pleasure re-visiting them, the Zora Neale Hurston episode in particular. Some reviews here mention a “liberal bias.” A gentle reminder that this is a podcast about literature.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Inday_Mie
    United States9 months ago
  • Great listen!

    This is an amazing book podcast with insightful and engaging interviews. The conversations are thought provoking, inspiring, and I always leave feeling a bit more connected to the world around me. I am shocked at the reviews that gripe about bias — the genres covered and the guests interviewed range widely. Someone in the comments requested a “neutral” book — writers don’t spend years of their life and pour their souls into books about “neutral”subjects but stories that they care about deeply. A... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    NVNVNV72
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

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

Positive reception of diverse titles and concise author conversations; listeners value quick, thoughtful book recommendations.
Listeners appreciate the breadth of authors and genres, with many praising interview quality and guest variety.
Some critics accuse the show of perceived political bias in interviews or book selections.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#12
United States/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#48
United States/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#57
United Kingdom/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#58
Canada/Arts/Books
Apple Podcasts
#151
United Kingdom/Arts
Apple Podcasts
#155
Canada/Arts

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

'How We Disappear' is a Stanford historian's take on our personal archives
Q: Could you talk about that moment when you say even the language we're using right now could someday become indecipherable?
Mullaney explains that inscriptions are encryption and that languages depend on continuous, generational effort to maintain fluency; without this labor, even our own words can fade into indecipherability.
Chang-Rae Lee on whether his new novel 'A Tender Age' is autobiographical
Q: is there some autobiography of you in this novel?
Lee confirms there is, describing it as structurally his youth at that time, drawing from his own upbringing in Westchester and experiences at a Korean church camp, while noting that the stories are enhanced and changed.
In 'Daytona Teddy Riggs,' a former high school football star enters a downward spiral
Q: How did Teddy get the nickname Daytona?
The nickname comes from his speed on the road and on the football field, reflecting his identity as a fast, high-octane performer and the way his ego centers on speed and performance.
In 'Man Overboard!,' Kathleen Rooney approaches a life-or-death story with humor
Q: How do you balance humor and sorrow in a narrative where a character is facing death at sea?
Humor acts as a counterbalance to grief, revealing life's beauty and mystery; funny and sad aspects reinforce each other and invite readers to stay with the existential reckoning.
In 'Man Overboard!,' Kathleen Rooney approaches a life-or-death story with humor
Q: Let me ask you about the touchy relationship Kick has with Justine.
Rooney describes Kick as emotionally immature with a notable age gap, but he clearly loves Justine and struggles with commitment, which informs his decisions on the cruise and his sense of self.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About NPR's Book of the Day

What is NPR's Book of the Day about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Across recent episodes, the show centers on contemporary books and authors, with tight, interview-style conversations that spotlight craft, themes, and the author's perspective. Guests range from debut novelists to established literary voices, plus occasional non-fiction figures and a few figures connected to politics or current events. Episodes are compact, often under 20 minutes, and aim to offer quick, thoughtful introductions to titles and ideas, sometimes touching on adaptation, place, and culture. A standout attribute is the breadth of genres and international authors, delivered in snappy, accessible exchanges that make complex topics approachable for a broad audience of avid readers and book buyers. This format is especially useful f... more

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Which podcasts are similar to NPR's Book of the Day?

These podcasts share a similar audience with NPR's Book of the Day:

1. The Book Review
2. Poured Over
3. The Book Case
4. Fresh Air
5. Book Riot - The Podcast

How many episodes of NPR's Book of the Day are there?

NPR's Book of the Day launched 5 years ago and published 1313 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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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.

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What guests have appeared on NPR's Book of the Day?

Recent guests on NPR's Book of the Day include:

1. Thomas Mullaney
2. Kathleen Rooney
3. Chang-Rae Lee
4. Sam Roberts
5. Drew Buxton
6. Ken Salazar
7. Christina Baker Kline
8. Andy Weir

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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