This Is the Author

S7 E19: In this episode, meet former deputy editor of Vanity Fair Dana Brown, mathematician and data scientist Cathy O’Neil, and emergency medicine physician Dr. Thomas Fisher. Press play to hear about the personal moments that made narrating their own audiobooks so special. Dilettante by Dana Brown: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/625042/dilettante/ The Shame Machine by Cathy O'Neil:...

S7 E18: In this episode, meet former clinical psychologist-turned-writer Alice Boyes, nurse practitioner and founder of the Everyday Wellness Project Cynthia Thurlow, and founder of the Own It Academy and SoulScripts and host of the podcast She, Jordan Lee Dooley. Listen in to hear about each author’s desire to help others in a number of ways, and how that inspired their audiobooks. Stress-Free Pr...

S7 E17: In this special episode of This Is the Author, meet actor Matt Damon and water expert and engineer Gary White, who are the founders of nonprofits Water.org and WaterEquity. Listen in as these two unlikely allies discuss writing The Worth of Water, telling the stories of those effected by the global water crisis, and offering solutions to solve the crisis within our lifetime. The Worth of W...

S7 E16: In this episode, meet journalist Joshua David Stein, Washington Post columnist Tamar Haspel, and data analyst Neil Hoyne. Hear Joshua David Stein celebrate solitude in the animal kingdom, Tamar Haspel on the adventures in growing your own food, and Neil Hoyne on using data to win your costumers’ hearts. Solitary Animals by Joshua David Stein: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/67...

S7 E15: In this episode, meet writer Amy Bloom, journalist Daniel Genis, and Black Liturgies creator Cole Arthur Riley. Step into the recording booth and hear Amy Bloom discuss what inspired her to share her husband’s story, Daniel Genis on using literature to find meaning in 10 years spent incarcerated, and Cole Arthur Riley on the power of storytelling as a family tradition. In Love by Amy Bloom...

S7 E14: In this episode, meet New York Times journalist Jeremy W. Peters, writer and editor Meghan O'Rourke, and education consultant Kate Robinson. Listen in to hear Jeremy Peters on unearthing the early seeds of Trumpism, Meghan O'Rourke on living with an invisible chronic illness, and Kate Robinson on completing the book started with her late father, Sir Ken Robinson. Insurgency by Jeremy W. Pe...

S7 E12: In this episode, meet IF: Gathering founder Jennie Allen, President and CEO of NOW Corp Lara Hodgson, and psychologist Todd Kashdan. Hear Jennie Allen on the lost art of making friends, Lara Hodgson on helping small and underrepresented businesses thrive, and Todd Kashdan on how to find your voice and rebel against an unhealthy status quo. Find Your People by Jennie Allen: https://www.peng...

S7 E13: In this episode, meet actor Harvey Fierstein, radio producer and journalist Stephanie Foo, and host of the Everything Iconic podcast Danny Pellegrino. Hear the famously gravel-voiced Harvey Fierstein share what it was truly like to record his memoir, Stephanie Foo on writing the book she wanted to read, and Danny Pellegrino on bringing stories to life in the recording studio. I Was Better...

S7 E10: In this episode, meet journalist Tiffanie Drayton, poet Paul Tran, and journalist Karen Cheung. These authors have written books in which they explore the intersection of personal experience and the broader culture---whether rethinking the American Dream, answering trauma with resilience, or delving into the meaning of memory in a shifting geopolitical landscape. Listen in to learn more; p...

S7 E11: In this episode, meet The Budget Mom founder Kumiko Love, downsizing expert Matt Paxton, and psychiatrist Dr. Mimi Winsberg. From improving personal financial health, to learning how to declutter, to decoding cryptic text messages, these authors are experts in helping others. Listen in to hear what motivated them to write their books, and what it was like for them to record their audiobook...

S7 E9: In this episode, meet Emmy-winning television writer, television host, and journalist Teresa Strasser, creator of the Brave Writer program Julie Bogart, and breastfeeding specialist Doctor Linda Dahl. Listen in to hear Teresa Strasser on writing a down-to-earth memoir about first-time pregnancy, Julie Bogart on helping children process information in the digital age, and Dr. Linda Dahl on b...

S7 E8: In this episode, meet psychotherapist Whitney Goodman, CEO and founder of ReadySet Y-Vonne Hutchinson, and Yale professor Zoe Chance. Listen in to hear Whitney Goodman on how to show up with your authentic self in a world obsessed with being happy, Y-Vonne Hutchinson on writing a compelling and personalized business book for dismantling workplace racism without fear, and Zoe Chance on the t...

S7 E7: In this episode, meet bestselling author and blogger Jen Mann, attorney, podcaster, and former Bachelorette star Rachel Lindsay, and writer, director, and performer Aimée Lutkin. Listen in to hear what motivated Jen Mann to write her darkly funny examination of “the female midlife crisis,” Rachel Lindsay on her off-camera life and the importance of political engagement and protest, and Aimé...

S7 E6: In this episode, meet theologian and educator Candice Marie Benbow, bestselling author and lecturer Shaka Senghor, and blogger and influencer Mallory Ervin. Listen in to hear Candice Marie Benbow on Black womanhood from a millennial perspective of faith, Shaka Senghor on the power of leaving a literary legacy for his sons, and Mallory Ervin on choosing the life you want after hard times. Pl...

S7 E5: In this episode, meet journalist and novelist Radhika Sanghani, psychiatrist Dr. Mark Epstein, and bestselling author and speaker Agapi Stassinopoulos. Whether their audiobooks are fiction or nonfiction, each of these authors was inspired by events in their lives. Step into the studio with them to hear what it was like using their own experiences to create—and narrate—their audiobooks. 30 T...

S7 E4: In this episode, meet Webby Award-winning on-air host and bestselling author Nancy Redd, co-creator of the Cookie Chronicle series Matthew Swanson, and bestselling picture book author Adam Rubin. Whether it’s giving kids a way to see themselves reflected in the world around them or encouraging kids to be silly and laugh, these authors find joy in creating stories specifically for young read...

S7 E3: In this episode, meet Yale professor Jing Tsu, bestselling author Daniel Pink, and founder of the financial firm The Hell Yeah Group, Paco de Leon. Whether it’s finding out about lesser-known figures in Chinese history, discovering how regret can make us all better humans, or finally making finance accessible for everyone, sharing knowledge with readers motivated each of these authors to wr...

S7 E2: In this episode, meet chef Gaby Melian, young adult author and poet Erica Martin, and anthropologist Ruth Behar. Go behind the mic with these three authors as they each share why writing their books for children and teens was so important to them. Plus, discover why it was equally important for one of these authors to narrate their own audiobook. Food-Related Stories by Gaby Melian: https:/...

S7 E1: In this episode, meet award-winning journalist Danielle Friedman, Stacking Benjamins podcast host Joe Saul-Sehy, and journalist and one of the founding editors of Bustle, Rachel Krantz. Listen in to hear how each of these authors had a specific, personal experience--from wandering through a bookstore to taking an exercise class--that inspired them to write their audiobook. Let's Get Physica...

S6 E87: In this episode, meet science journalist Catherine Price, Healing Trilogy founder Kimberly Meredith, and Sacred Warrior founder Vanessa Chakour. Join these authors in the studio as they reflect on the inspiration behind their books, the importance of finding connection in a variety of forms, and what they hope listeners will glean from their audiobooks. The Power of Fun by Catherine Price:...

S6 E86: In this episode, meet New York City Ballet principal dancer Megan Fairchild, American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Thomas Forster, and ballet dancer Charlotte Nebres. Listen in to hear each of these authors talk about their love of dance, and the joys and difficulties that come with that love. Plus, learn what it was like for these seasoned performers to “perform” their audiobooks. The...

S6 E85: In this episode, meet book critic Charles Finch, Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl, and literary historian David Damrosch. Join these authors in the studio as they talk about the stories behind their books, from intense pandemic journal-keeping, to witnessing the final months of a presidency, to traveling the world through books. Plus, hear them reflect on the intensity of re-living c...

S6 E84: In this episode, meet Mark E. Moore, teaching pastor at Christ’s Church of the Valley, and Terry J. Stokes, youth pastor at the Reformed Church of Highland Park. Tune in to hear what inspired these authors to write books deeply rooted in their Christian faith, what it was like for them to record their audiobooks, and what they hope readers will experience through listening. Quest 52 by Mar...

S6 E83: In this episode, meet actress Aubrey Plaza, CNN news anchor Poppy Harlow, and co-authors Carrie McCrossen and Ian McWethy. Go into the recording studio and get a peak behind-the-mic with these dynamic authors who are creating new stories for kids and young adults. The Legend of the Christmas Witch by Dan Murphy and Aubrey Plaza: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/669788/the-legen...

S6 E82: In this episode, meet actor Max Greenfield, actress and dancer Rachel Montez Minor, and father-son co-authors Robert Samuel White II and Robert Samuel White III. Listen in as these authors share the inspiration behind their children’s books: Max Greenfield’s personal experience as a reluctant reader and as a parent, Rachel Montez Minor’s dreams coming to fruition, and Robert Samuel White t...