Book Riot - The Podcast

Jeff and Rebecca note the passing of Beverly Cleary and Larry McMurtry, talk more Amazon/Big 5 anti-trust litigation, a Tennessee law that breaks new ground in terribleness, and much more. Discussed in this episode: Scholastic pulls Captain Underpants spinoff because of passive racism Tennessee bill seeks to ban any books that “promote, normalize, support, or address” LGTBQ issues Amazon & Big 5 f...

Jeff and Rebecca discuss Klara & the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro. This post contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Book Riot may earn a commission. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca have their minds boggled at the sales of Seuss titles, pay fealty to the queen of book clubs, survey a few recent book challenges, and look forward to Klara and the Sun. Discussed in this episode: Oprah picks the Gilead SERIES as the next book club selection Follow-up: Leander, TX English teachers rally against graphic novels being removed from reading lists Austin, TX school call...

Jeff and Rebecca do some Seuss follow-up, evaluate upcoming adaptations that should be in their wheelhouse, talk about a particularly graphic effort to get some books out of a school classroom, and much more. Discussed in this episode: Farewell, Norman Juster Follow-up: Nice historical context for publishers removing racism from other books The Day Children’s Literature Died Follow-up: Amazon work...

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the Seuss Enterprise’s decision to stop publishing a half-dozen books, continue ruminating on a “is it good?” segment, admire Murakami’s evasive accessibility, get into some labor talk, and finally discuss the current state of podcasting. Discussed in this episode: 6 Dr Seuss books ceasing publication because of racist imagery Seuss Enterprise’s statement Murakami’s t-s...

Jeff and Rebecca talk about another format they might want to try for talking about books, whether 2020 means we can finally stop confusing the fate of bookstores with the fate of publishing, catch up with some listener feedback, and much more. Discussed in this episode: Bookstore sales fell 28.3% in 2020 Big-picture look at the possible impact of PRH/S&S Charles Yu establishes prize for Taiwanese...

Jeff and Rebecca talk about what books actually get read, emotionally manipulative novels, tackle a couple of listener question, and try another guessing game. Discussed in this episode: While nothing we talked about today was newly linkable, I did promise to provide footage of Rebecca after her incredible showing last week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about you...

Jeff and Rebecca discuss the winner of the Spring Preview draft, Hachette getting out of the right-wing publishing game, the Obamas adaptation-heavy Netflix slate, and Jeff inadvisedly challenges Rebecca to a new game. Discussed in this episode: Big 5 named as co-defendants in ebook price fixing suit Hachette fired last remaining editor who would publish conservative BS Obamas ink 6-project deal w...

Jeff and Rebecca reflect on the end of Jeff Bezos’ tenure as CEO of Amazon, the launch of the Reese Witherspoon Book Club app, and comment on a commendation for LeVar Burton. Discussed in this episode: Bezos stepping down as Amazon CEO Reese’s Book Club has an app LeVar Burton named first PEN/Faulkner Literary Champion See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad c...

Jenn Northington joins Jeff to talk about a new ebook price-fixing lawsuit, the meteoric rise of Amanda Gorman, the high degree of difficulty of adapting The Sparrow, and much more. This post contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Book Riot may earn a commission. Discussed in this episode: Update: Hawley’s book pick up by Regnery The Amanda Gorman phenomenon Ebook Price Fixing...

Jeff and Rebecca preview the interesting new Spring releases in the form of a draft! They each drafted 10 books to make a basket with the intended audience of a generally interested reader. And they need your help to decide who won! Take a look at the lists below, and then email podcast@bookriot.com with your vote for who drafted the best all-around basket. This post contains affiliate links. When...

Jeff and Rebecca talk about Simon & Schuster pulling Josh Hawley’s book, Powell’s getting heat for carrying a title, discuss how to structure their spring 2020 preview, and much more. This post contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, Book Riot may earn a commission. Discussed in this episode: S & S cancels Josh Hawley’s book contract MTV Books is coming back Bridgerton books ge...

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the best-selling books of 2020, Eat a Peach follow-up, how the publishing industry fared last year, and much more. Discussed in this episode: Publishing did all right in 2020  Print book sales rose 8.2% in 2020  NYT bestsellers of 2020  We have to talk about this bonkers phishing scam in publishing  Response to Eat a Peach  More on American Dirt See omnystudio.com/liste...

Jeff and Rebecca share their favorite things from 2020 that were not books. Discussed in this episode: Summer Camp Island Making of Frozen 2 The Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom The Vast of Night Over the Moon Soft Baked Pretzel recipe from Tasty Carto Overcooked 2 Legend of Zelda, The Breath of the Wild Work at Home with Blossom Dearie Playlist Christmas tree stand The Velvelettes Printfresh robe...

Jeff and Rebecca recount their favorite reads of 2020. Discussed in this episode: Intimations by Zadie Smith Eat a Peach by David Chang The Beauty in Breaking by Michele Harper The Deficit Myth by Stephanie Kelton We Ride Upon Sticks by Quan Barry Group by Christie Tate The Switch by Beth O’Leary The Wisdom of Finance by Mihir Desai Deacon King Kong by James McBride Blacktop Wasteland by S.A. Cros...

Jeff and Rebecca talk about PRH buying Simon & Schuster, survey best books of the year lists, and much more. Discussed in this episode: The 2021 Read Harder Challenge is here!  PRH buys Simon & Schuster  Opposition to the PRH purchase  Reed retires BEA and BookCon  Amazon Best Books of 2020  NYT top 10 Book biz supply chain doing OK so far  Bob Woodward writing the book about Trump’s last days in...

Jeff and Rebecca their 2020 Holiday book recommendations. Discussed in this episode: Force of Nature by Jane Harper  The Secret History by Donna Tartt Idaho by Emily Ruskovich A Separation by Katie Kitamura The Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell Radical Dharma Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb Hieroglyphics by Jill McCorkle Crazy Rich Asians b...

Jeff and Rebecca give book recommendations in response to reader requests. Discussed in this episode:  In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan  Kings Queens & In-Betweens by Tanya Boteju This Is What It Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow Paper Girls by Brian Vaughn and Cliff Chiang  Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer Heart Berries by Therese Marie Mailhot House...

Jeff and Rebecca go over some A Promised Land sales numbers, look over the National Book Award winners, check in with the sale of Simon & Schuster, and much more. This episode is sponsored by: This episode is sponsored by The Orchard by David Hopen, HarperCollins Children’s Books/Quill Tree Books, TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service. Discussed in this episode: Ugh Chimamanda Listener query: Any...

Jeff, Amanda, and Rebecca return to The West Wing. At least for the pilot. This episode is sponsored by: This episode is sponsored by Yen Press, One Night Two Souls Went Walking by Ellen Cooney , TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service, and The Magic Ingredient by Lindy Miller. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca talk about the lead up to A Promised Land, authors you know by just their first names, a very real literary puzzle, and much more. This episode is sponsored by: This episode is sponsored by Just the Two of Us by Ryu Hyang, Bombas, TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service, and Emporia State University’s School of Library & Information Manageme Discussed in this episode: A Promised Lan...

Jeff and Rebecca play a round of Buy/Sell/Hold with some of 2020’s most notable books. This episode is sponsored by: This episode is sponsored by Henry Holt & Co., Spalding University, TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service, and Miami Book Fair Books discussed in this episode: Caste by Isabel Wilkerson Weather by Jenny Offill The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett Topics of Conversation by Miranda Popk...

Jeff and Rebecca try to remain focused while doing a bunch of listener follow-up, wonder about HMH’s trade business being for sale, admire PW’s Best Books of 2020 list (mostly), and preview upcoming topics. This episode is sponsored bY This episode is sponsored by Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer, Spellbreaker by Charlie N. Holmberg, TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service, and Emporia State Universit...

Jeff and Rebecca list their most-wished for bookish adaptations. This episode is sponsored by: This episode is sponsored by Zikora by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Whatbook, TBR, Book Riot’s subscription service, and Book Riot Insiders Discussed in this episode: The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien Paradise by Toni Morrison Dust Tracks on a Road by Zora Neale Hurston The Arrangements by Maggie Ships...

Jeff and Rebecca talk about a call for help and a weird stock purchase at The Strand, more encouraging hires in publishing, an ugly fight at B&N goes away, and how much we really don’t like Audible-only things. This episode is sponsored by: This episode is sponsored by Fallen Queen (Mariposa Book 1) by Y. R. Shin, Emporia State University’s School of Library & Information Management, TBR, Book Rio...