NPR's Book of the Day
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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.
Categories: Arts
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James Baldwin’s recent centennial birthday allowed us to discuss one of his most celebrated novels, Giovanni’s Room. Andrew Limbong and B. A. Parker are joined by NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour’s Glen Weldon, examining the story of three lovers, chasing connection, love, and acceptance in 1950s Paris. Special guest Garth Greenwell also drops by to share how Giovanni’s Room made an impact on his work.
Glen’s Recommendation: ‘Florenzer’ by Phil Melanson
Parker’s Recommendation: ‘The Stranger’ by Albert Camus
Andrew’s Recommendation: ‘The Sun Also Rises’ by Ernest Hemingway
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Glen’s Recommendation: ‘Florenzer’ by Phil Melanson
Parker’s Recommendation: ‘The Stranger’ by Albert Camus
Andrew’s Recommendation: ‘The Sun Also Rises’ by Ernest Hemingway
To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday
Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices
NPR Privacy Policy
Previous episodes
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1099 - Revisiting ‘Giovanni's Room’ Sat, 15 Nov 2025
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1098 - Music biographies 'The Cars,' 'Only God Can Judge Me' balance greatness and tragedy Fri, 14 Nov 2025
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1097 - John Grisham brings a money-hungry lawyer to center stage in 'The Widow' Thu, 13 Nov 2025
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1096 - In 'A Guardian and a Thief,' a mother’s love for her family threatens her own morals Wed, 12 Nov 2025
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1095 - Tochi Onyebuchi’s 'Racebook' is a 'personal history' of a less serious time online Tue, 11 Nov 2025
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1094 - Philip Pullman’s new novel follows ‘The Golden Compass’ heroine into young adulthood Mon, 10 Nov 2025
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1093 - Revisiting ‘The Joy Luck Club’ Sat, 08 Nov 2025
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1092 - Reese Witherspoon, Harlan Coben and Chris Kraus are out with new crime thrillers Fri, 07 Nov 2025
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1091 - These previously unpublished Harper Lee stories were discovered in her NYC apartment Thu, 06 Nov 2025
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1090 - In 'The Eleventh Hour,' Salman Rushdie writes about morality, revenge and ghosts Wed, 05 Nov 2025
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1089 - Julian Brave Noisecat’s 'We Survived the Night' is part memoir, part Native history Tue, 04 Nov 2025
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1088 - Karine Jean-Pierre’s new memoir 'Independent' explains why she left the Democrats Mon, 03 Nov 2025
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1087 - Revisiting Charles Portis’ True Grit Sat, 01 Nov 2025
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1086 - Stephen King on 'The Shining' sequel and the novel he co-authored with his son Fri, 31 Oct 2025
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1085 - In 'The Hacienda,' the protagonist is trapped in a haunted house – and her marriage Thu, 30 Oct 2025
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1084 - Shirley Jackson’s biographer on the writer’s ability to find evil in the ordinary Wed, 29 Oct 2025
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1083 - Princeton professor Susan Wolfson on why we love 'Frankenstein' two centuries later Tue, 28 Oct 2025
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1082 - 'Interview with the Vampire' author Anne Rice takes NPR on a tour of her haunted home Mon, 27 Oct 2025
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1081 - Revisiting Anne Rice’s ‘Interview with the Vampire’ Sat, 25 Oct 2025
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1080 - 'Paper Girl' and 'Joyride' are memoirs by journalists who get close to their subjects Fri, 24 Oct 2025
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1079 - This Palestinian journalist kept a diary as Israeli forces invaded – now it’s a book Thu, 23 Oct 2025
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1078 - A new James Baldwin biography asks how the writer’s lovers might’ve shaped him Wed, 22 Oct 2025
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1077 - Virginia Giuffre’s posthumous memoir recounts abuse by Epstein, Maxwell and others Tue, 21 Oct 2025
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1076 - Ken Liu’s latest novel ‘All That We See or Seem’ is speculative fiction about AI Mon, 20 Oct 2025
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1075 - Books We’ve Loved: Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, a blueprint to the modern romance Sat, 18 Oct 2025
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1074 - Cookbooks 'House of Nanking' and 'Boustany' honor rich family legacies through food Fri, 17 Oct 2025
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1073 - 'I Am You' fictionalizes the story of a Dutch Golden Age painter and her maid Thu, 16 Oct 2025
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1072 - 'The Persian' is a spy thriller written by former CIA analyst David McCloskey Wed, 15 Oct 2025
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1071 - In her new memoir, Jeannie Vanasco gets 'A Silent Treatment' from her mom Tue, 14 Oct 2025
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1070 - 'Pick a Color' is a novel that takes place over a single day at a nail salon Mon, 13 Oct 2025
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1068 - Introducing: Books We've Loved Sat, 11 Oct 2025
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1067 - These new mystery novels are 'whodunits' that might as well be called 'whydunits' Fri, 10 Oct 2025
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1066 - In 'Dream School,' Jeff Selingo wants parents to rethink what makes a ‘good’ college Thu, 09 Oct 2025
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1065 - For her latest novel, Patricia Lockwood says she wanted to write about confusion Wed, 08 Oct 2025
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1064 - Mariana Enriquez’s new book connects her interest in cemeteries with Argentina’s past Tue, 07 Oct 2025
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1063 - 'For the Sun After Long Nights' is a history of Iran’s Woman, Life, Freedom Movement Mon, 06 Oct 2025
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1062 - Two new history books use the past to explain what’s important now Fri, 03 Oct 2025
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1061 - 'F*** Approval, You Don’t Need It!' makes the case against ‘people pleasers’ Thu, 02 Oct 2025
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1060 - Angela Flournoy’s 'The Wilderness' focuses on a Black, female ‘chosen family’ Wed, 01 Oct 2025
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1059 - Former senator Joe Manchin makes the case for the middle in the memoir 'Dead Center' Tue, 30 Sep 2025
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1058 - Ian McEwan’s latest novel ‘What We Can Know’ is science fiction without the science Mon, 29 Sep 2025
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1057 - ‘Peacemaker’ and ‘Tomorrow Is Yesterday’ are personal histories of diplomacy Fri, 26 Sep 2025
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1056 - Ken Jaworowski’s new crime novel ‘What About the Bodies’ has a surprising tender side Thu, 25 Sep 2025
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1055 - ‘Dark Renaissance’ historian on how Christopher Marlowe paved the way for Shakespeare Wed, 24 Sep 2025
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1054 - ‘Beyond Fast’ chronicles one coach’s unlikely revolution in high school cross-country Tue, 23 Sep 2025
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1053 - In his new novel ‘The Secret of Secrets,’ Dan Brown takes on human consciousness Mon, 22 Sep 2025
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1052 - ‘Long Way Down’ and ‘The Hate U Give’ are modern classics about gun violence Fri, 19 Sep 2025
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1051 - What Toni Morrison learned from revisiting five of her most-read novels Thu, 18 Sep 2025
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1050 - Sandra Cisneros’ ‘The House on Mango Street’ was born from a feeling of displacement Wed, 17 Sep 2025
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1049 - In her translation of ‘The Odyssey,’ Emily Wilson aimed for ‘a crystalline clarity’ Tue, 16 Sep 2025
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