NPR's Book of the Day

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 today's great books in 15 minutes or less. Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including sponsor-free listening for Book of the Day.

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Every guest on NPR's Book of the Day

1338 guests, ranked by how many people never want them back.

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Crystal Hefner
'Only Say Good Things' chronicles Crystal Hefner's life at the Playboy mansion · Jan 2024

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Damon Young
New books by Damon Young and Dennard Dayle take different routes to humor · Jun 2025

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Dave Portnoy
Barstool Sports' Dave Portnoy on why he "stays up at night" worrying about politics · Jul 2026

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Dawn Staley
In new memoir, women's college basketball coach Dawn Staley says she's a 'sore loser' · Jun 2025

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Desmond Shum

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Devon Price
Devon Price on self-acceptance and expression for people with autism · 2 episodes

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Doris Kearns Goodwin
Doris Kearns Goodwin's new book is part memoir, part history of the 1960s · May 2024

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Elizabeth Strout
Lucy Barton and her ex, William, are at the heart of Elizabeth Strout's new book · Nov 2021

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Eric Holder
The debate on reforming the Supreme Court in Eric Holder's 'Our Unfinished March' · May 2022

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Fat Joe
In 'The Book of Jose,' Fat Joe remembers his rise in hip-hop · Nov 2022

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Frances Haugen
Frances Haugen's memoir looks back on why she blew the whistle on Facebook · Jun 2023

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Gretchen Whitmer
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer unveils her vision for American democracy in 'True Gretch' · Jul 2024

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James McBride
James McBride on music, writing and 'The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store' · 2 episodes

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Jill Biden
In 'View From the East Wing,' Jill Biden reflects on the debate that changed history · Jun 2026

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Jill Lepore
To combat the 'Artificial State,' Jill Lepore says to look to science fiction · Sep 2026

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Karen Hao
Karen Hao's new book is a skeptical look at Sam Altman and Elon Musk's AI empire · May 2025

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Katherine May
Sparked by the pandemic, Katherine May searches for 'Enchantment' in nature · Mar 2023

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Kaveh Akbar
Kaveh Akbar's novel 'Martyr!' is a journey of identity, addiction and poetry · 2 episodes

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Ken Jennings
'Jeopardy!' host Ken Jennings pens a travel guide to the afterlife · Jun 2023

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Kenny Smith
Kenny Smith's memoir 'Talk of Champions' looks back at a career shaped by the NBA · Jun 2023

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Leisha Hailey
Leisha Hailey and Kate Moennig reflect on 'The L Word' in memoir 'So Gay For You' · Jun 2025

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Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams' memoir looks back on a career defying expectations · May 2023

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Malcolm Harris

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Mark Bittman
A new cookbook from food journalist Mark Bittman invites kids into the kitchen · Nov 2024

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Mark Leibovich
Mark Leibovich details the price of blind loyalty under Donald Trump in new book · Jul 2022

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Raymond Antrobus
In his memoir, poet Raymond Antrobus writes of 'deaf gain' instead of hearing loss · 2 episodes

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Scott Turow
Rusty Sabich comes out of retirement in Scott Turow's thriller 'Presumed Guilty' · Jan 2025

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Steve Inskeep
NPR staffers pick their favorite reads of the year · 2 episodes

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Susanna Hoffs
Bangles cofounder Susanna Hoffs' first novel follows a one-hit wonder, 10 years later · 2 episodes

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Tamara Yajia
Tamara Yajia’s memoir recounts a chaotic upbringing between the U.S. and Argentina · Sep 2025

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Theo Baker
Theo Baker delves into power and corruption at Stanford in 'How to Rule the World' · Jun 2026

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Tim Scott
In new memoir, Sen. Tim Scott details the second chances he's gotten · Aug 2022

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Andy Weir
Andy Weir reveals his fun and frantic creative process behind 'Project Hail Mary' · 2 episodes

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Dan Brown
In his new novel ‘The Secret of Secrets,’ Dan Brown takes on human consciousness · Sep 2025

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Dave Barry
In 'Class Clown,' humorist Dave Barry embraces both the funny and hard parts of life · May 2025

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Drew Magary
How Drew Magary rediscovered himself after 'The Night the Lights Went Out' · Oct 2021

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Emily Henry
Romance authors Emily Henry, Beverly Jenkins, and others on the state of their genre · 4 episodes

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Judy Blume
Judy Blume says she doesn't miss writing … but she’s very glad she wrote · Jul 2026

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Katherine Rundell
Katherine Rundell says it's a mistake for adults to discard children's literature · Sep 2026

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Liane Moriarty
Author Liane Moriarty on her long-awaited sequel to 'Big Little Lies' · 2 episodes

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Recent episodes

1322 episodes from the feed, newest first.

In new memoir, Colin Kaepernick reflects on his historic national anthem protest
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Marking 25 years since Sept. 11 with 'All the Presidents' Wars' and 'Scattered Steel'
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Sep 2026
Sen. Ted Cruz's new book 'Going Further' praises Justice Clarence Thomas
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Sep 2026
Author Jade Chang on the books she's reading to keep summer going
with Jade Chang

Sep 2026
To combat the 'Artificial State,' Jill Lepore says to look to science fiction
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Sep 2026
Author Liane Moriarty on her long-awaited sequel to 'Big Little Lies'
with Liane Moriarty

Sep 2026
New music books take on Paul Simon's 'Graceland' and the history of music and prison
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Sep 2026
New book evaluates President Biden's legacy as midterm elections approach
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Sep 2026
'Astronaut!' is a coming-of-age story set against the fall of the Iron Curtain
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Sep 2026
'How We Disappear' is a Stanford historian's take on our personal archives
with Thomas Mullaney

Sep 2026
In 'Man Overboard!,' Kathleen Rooney approaches a life-or-death story with humor
with Kathleen Rooney

Aug 2026
Remembering Dolly Parton through her writing for children and adults
with James Patterson

Aug 2026
Chang-Rae Lee on whether his new novel 'A Tender Age' is autobiographical
with Chang-rae Lee

Aug 2026
'New York Times' obituarist Sam Roberts says he writes about life – not death
with Sam Roberts

Aug 2026
In 'Daytona Teddy Riggs,' a former high school football star enters a downward spiral
with Drew Buxton

Aug 2026
Former U.S. Mexico ambassador Ken Salazar on new memoir and "crisis" at the border
with Ken Salazar

Aug 2026
Journalist Jodi Kantor and happiness expert Arthur Brooks on how to find purpose
with Jodi Kantor

Aug 2026
In 'The Foursome,' conjoined twins marry two sisters — and that's just the beginning
with Christina Baker Kline

Aug 2026
Andy Weir reveals his fun and frantic creative process behind 'Project Hail Mary'
with Andy Weir

Aug 2026
'The Correspondent' is an epistolary novel, but can letters tell the whole story?
with Virginia Evans

Aug 2026
'This is Where the Serpent Lives' is a sprawling debut novel set in modern Pakistan
with Daniyal Mueenuddin

Aug 2026