Poured Over

When a dark secret comes to light after his mother's death, Jay sets out to uncover the truth in Mystery Play , a  haunting tale steeped in Dracula lore from master storyteller, Elizabeth Kostova. Elizabeth joins us to talk about seances, mysticism, the theater and Indiana Jones with cohost Jenna Seery. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Jenna Seery and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes la...

In  Look What the Cat Dragged In by Jason Rekulak, after agreeing to pet sit, a cartoonist becomes haunted by violent nightmares and starts to find disturbing imagery in her art. Jason joins us to talk about demonic possession, viral videos, collaborating with Doogie Horner and Will Staehle on the book's illustrations, and more with cohost Chris Gillespie. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by...

Man in the Mirror by Anand Giridharadas is a meticulously reported, empathetic and urgent account of America at a crossroads, where mental health and systemic failure intersect. Anand joins us to talk about his reporting process, compassion, civic engagement, and the questions of democracy with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New ep...

The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman by Deesha Philyaw is a scandalous, messy satire about a pageant for the wives of megachurch pastors, following Scharisse Freeman, a church "First Lady" who gets caught between childhood secrets and her public image. Deesha joined us live at B&N City Center in Philadelphia to talk about creating humor on the page, obedience, faith, and her skepticism of fo...

Pulitzer Prize winner Barbara Kingsolver returns with Partita , an unforgettable story of resilience, possibility and the transformative power of music. Barbara joins us to talk about her craft, her passion for classical music, and her Appalachian heritage with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. The episode features musical accompanime...

Every Story is a Love Story by Imbolo Mbue is a smart and tender exploration of grief following a man who meets the person responsible for his wife's fatal car accident. Imbolo joins us to talk about faith, community, regret, and forgiveness with cohost Brenda Allison. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Brenda Allison and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with...

In Pulitzer Prize-winning author Hernan Diaz's Ply, centuries from now, society has adapted to a new way of life as humans mend their relationships to the world…and each other. Hernan joined us live in Philadelphia to talk about subjectivity, selfhood and identity; particle physics; and Charles Dickens with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry...

The acclaimed, bestselling author of Pachinko , Min Jin Lee returns with American Hagwon, a modern classic about ambition and love, family and finding home. Min Jin joined us live at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church to talk about education and ambition, the 19th century social novel, compressed modernity, and trying to be a good person in an anxious world with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Pou...

In The French Illusion by John Grisham, a honeymoon unravels into terror as newlyweds Paul and Chelsea get snatched from the French countryside, prompting a puzzling investigation. John joins us to talk about his time in law school, his prolific writing career, and his advocacy for the wrongfully convicted with cohost Chris Gillespie. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Chris Gillespie and m...

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and author, Ayad Akhtar joins us to talk about craft,  the campus novel, autofiction, and his latest book, The Radiance, with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app.   Featured Books: The Radiance by...

Now out in paperback, The Small and the Mighty by Sharon McMahon casts a needed spotlight on the other heroes of American greatness — ones you may not have heard of. Sharon joins us to talk about raising engaged citizens, local news, and communication as a leadership skill with cohost Chris Gillespie. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Chris Gillespie and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes...

Beloved storyteller John Green returns with a tender love story set against the underbelly of the entertainment industry as two actors balance their rising fame with their complicated feelings in Hollywood, Ending. John joins us to talk about the social internet, the attention economy, Andy Warhol, having fun writing, and the world's largest ball of paint with cohost Brenda Allison. This episode o...

Blending surrealism, satire and philosophical concepts, Booker Prize-longlisted Helen of Nowhere by Makenna Goodman weaves a tale of beginnings following a disgraced professor who moves into a house where the presence of the previous owner lingers. Makenna joins us to talk about narrative form, stand-up comedy, and the dynamism of nature with cohost Jenna Seery. This episode of Poured Over was hos...

In Triage , acclaimed author and playwright Claudia Rankine uses prose, poetry and art images to challenge the ways we look at friendship and memory, action and obligation. Claudia joined us live from B&N Upper West Side to talk about narrative, lyric poetry, interiority, and broadening the collective we with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harr...

In her latest novel, Hollow Bones , Jodi Picoult uses her powerful voice to craft a moving story about what we do to protect our loved ones when faced with the unexpected. Jodi joins us to talk about public health, private tragedy, motherhood, and gender gaps in healthcare with cohost Brenda Allison. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Brenda Allison and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes la...

Told from the perspective of a wax doll, Olga Ravn's The Wax Child is a chilling tale inspired by a real group of women accused of dark magic in seventeenth-century Denmark. Olga joins us to talk about her craft, the power of ritual, collective memory, creepy children, and contemporary Scandinavian literature with cohost Jenna Seery. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Jenna Seery and mixed...

Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea by Emily Wilson takes readers on a tour through the ancient world for an entertaining examination of Greek and Roman literature and their impact on our modern world. Emily joins us to talk about the joys and challenges of interpreting antiquity, the stakes of poetic form and re-translating The Odyssey with cohost Jenna Seery. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Jen...

The Booker Prize–winning author Marlon James returns with The Disappearers, a deeply human story exploring queer life in Jamaica during the 1980s and 1990s. Marlon joined us live from Stony Brook University to talk about the consequences of violence, the loss of monoculture, Polari, post-colonial literature, and the X-Men with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer...

Kai Bird follows his Pulitzer Prize-winning biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer with a timely and meticulously researched true story of Roy Cohn — a friend of the famous, the right-hand man to Joseph McCarthy, mentor to a US President and a lawyer who showed no respect for the law. Kai joins us to talk about American Scoundrel , the McCarthy era, the politics of celebrity, and the cycles of America...

Gripping, visceral and taut, Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy is a complex story about survival, isolation and hope at the end of the world. Charlotte joins us to talk about family, nature, secrets, eco-pessimism and radical hope with cohost Brenda Allison. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Brenda Allison and mixed by Harry Liang.                     New episodes land Tuesdays and Th...

In Under Story by Chloe Benjamin , one biologist's journey to escape her painful past takes a turn when an unexpected scientific discovery bends time and memory, offering a glimpse of hope and a second chance at love. Chloe Benjamin joins us to talk about the craft of research, love stories, neutrinos and a tree named Louis with cohost Jenna Seery.  This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Jenna...

The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State by Jill Lepore explores technology's impact on human community and self-government, and what the future holds. Jill Lepore joins us to talk about AI, citizenship, personal data, the public sphere, local newspapers and touching grass with cohost Jenna Seery. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Jenna Seery and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tu...

Dèy by acclaimed writer Edwidge Danticat is multigenerational story of family, resilience, and hope in the wake of an unexpected tragedy. Edwidge joins us to talk about evolving ideas of the American Dream, the Haitian diaspora, ghost stories and expanding canon with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thu...

Crocodilopolis by John Manuel Arias is a riveting meditation on legacy, myth and masculinity which follows brothers locked in a power struggle after a dark family secret threatens their once-powerful political dynasty. John joins us to talk about the anxiety of a sophomore novel, sibling rivalry, global mythology, and tropical plants with cohost Isabelle McConville. This episode of Poured Over was...

Dominion by Addie E. Citchens explores the clash of small-town secrets, unspoken rules and family drama in a Mississippi church community.  Addie joins us to talk about Faulkner, self-belief, and reading Harlequin novels in church with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang.                     New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with...