The Book Show
Joe DonahueEach week on The Book Show, host Joe Donahue interviews authors about their books, their lives and their craft. It is a celebration of both reading and writers. Joe holds interesting conversations with a variety of authors including Malcolm Gladwell, Lawrence Wright, and Emily St. John Mandel.As the son of a librarian, Joe has been part of the book world since childhood. His first job was as a lib... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 200 | Founded | 10 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | BooksArts | |||
Listen to this Podcast
Latest Episodes
Physician and acclaimed novelist Daniel Mason has a gift for finding the extraordinary in everyday life. His new novel, 'Country People,' follows a young family whose move to rural Vermont becomes an unexpected journey into folklore, community, and i... more
Colson Whitehead is a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and now brings his acclaimed Harlem trilogy to a close with 'Cool Machine.' The novel reunites readers with furniture dealer and reluctant fence Ray Carney as one last score draws him back into New... more
Novelist Amy Bloom ventures into new territory with her first mystery novel, 'Blunt Instrument.' At the center is Dell Chandler, a failed professor and newly minted private investigator called to solve the murder of an eminent English scholar whose d... more
Novelist Francine Prose’s latest, 'Five Weeks in the Country,' turns a strange real-life literary episode into rich, darkly funny fiction. In the summer of 1857, Hans Christian Andersen arrives at Charles Dickens’ country home for what should have be... more
Key Facts
Similar Podcasts
People also subscribe to these shows.
Recent Guests
Host
Reviews
- Love it!
I just discovered The Book Show and am enjoying it so much! I love hearing some of my favorite authors like Billy Collins (the definition of poetry is awesome), Kaveh Akbar (I'm a huge fan!), and Scott Turow (who knew he had a Chicago or Michigan accent (I think)? Looking forward to catching up! (PS - Joe Donahue sounds like David Letterman, right?!)
Apple Podcasts5Mavis M
United Statesa year ago - Best Author Interviews Out There
Such an underrated show in the podcast sphere. I used to listen on the radio back east and it's a treasure trove for listening to some of the best authors.
Apple Podcasts5GingerrsnappedUnited States9 years ago
Listeners Say
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #132 |  New Zealand/Arts/Books |
Apple Podcasts | #136 |  Norway/Arts/Books |
Apple Podcasts | #202 |  Russia/Arts/Books |
Apple Podcasts | #221 |  Ireland/Arts/Books |
Talking Points
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
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 The Book Show
What is The Book Show about and what kind of topics does it cover?
A thoughtful interview series that centers on authors, their books, and the craft of writing. Conversations often weave literary analysis with personal storytelling, exploring themes from memory and history to contemporary culture, with notable attention to the writing process, research methods, and how lived experience informs fiction. The host's long-running public-radio pedigree adds a calm, inquisitive cadence that suits listeners who love deep dives into character, craft, and the societal context surrounding new works. A standout is the breadth of guests—ranging from literary fiction to genre novels—paired with candid discussions about authors' inspirations, editing journeys, and the ethics of portrayal in fiction.
Noteworthy strength... more
Where can I find podcast stats for The Book Show?
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Book Show. 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 The Book Show and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
How many listeners does The Book Show get?
Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Book Show, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.
What are the audience demographics for The Book Show?
Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Book Show, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.
How many subscribers and views does The Book Show have?
To see how many followers or subscribers The Book Show 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 The Book Show?
These podcasts share a similar audience with The Book Show:
1. Poured Over
2. NPR's Book of the Day
3. The Book Case
4. The Book Review
5. Writers on Writing
How many episodes of The Book Show are there?
The Book Show launched 10 years ago and published 200 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 The Book Show?
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 The Book Show?
Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Book Show from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.
View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.
How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Book Show?
Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Book Show. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.
What guests have appeared on The Book Show?
Recent guests on The Book Show include:
1. Daniel Mason
2. Colson Whitehead
3. Amy Bloom
4. Francine Prose
5. Colm Toibín
6. Andrew Sean Greer
7. Ann Patchett
8. Elizabeth Strout
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.