NPR's Book of the Day

By: NPR
  • Summary

  • 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.
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Episodes
  • In Winsome Bingham's 'The Walk,' a community bands together to head to the polls
    Nov 5 2024
    Author Winsome Bingham was raised in a community that gathered together to vote. But as a kid, she didn't realize how important this practice was to her life. Illustrator E.B. Lewis had a different childhood experience with elections. His parents voted but would do so almost in secret. As a result, Lewis didn't become a voter until his late 20s. In their children's book, The Walk (A Stroll to the Poll), published in 2023, Bingham and Lewis hope to give kids insight into this democratic process. In the book, a child and her grandmother pick up friends and neighbors on their way to the polls, forming a civically-minded procession. In today's episode, NPR's Scott Simon introduces a conversation between the author and illustrator about how children learn by watching adults act and how voting can be a collective–rather than individual–experience.

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    8 mins
  • Bob Woodward's new book 'War' invites readers into a world of back-channel diplomacy
    Nov 4 2024
    It's been 50 years since the publication of All the President's Men, but journalist Bob Woodward says he hasn't changed his approach to political reporting. His new book, War, aims to bring readers as close as possible to the rooms where globally consequential diplomacy takes place. War focuses on three major conflicts and has already made headlines, detailing new information about the continued relationship between former President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. In today's episode, Woodward speaks with NPR's Scott Detrow about a high-stakes call between Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his Russian counterparts about the potential use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine, the conflict between Israel and Iran, and Woodward's observations on Vice President Harris' role in foreign diplomacy.

    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

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    12 mins
  • 'Patriot' is a posthumous memoir by the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny
    Nov 1 2024
    Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader, died in a Siberian prison this past February–and in his diary entries, Navalny wrote that he knew he might not make it out alive. Those diaries are part of Navalny's new memoir, Patriot, published posthumously with help from his widow, Yulia Navalnaya. The book details some of Navalny's darkest moments in his fight for a more democratic Russia, but also showcases the leader's characteristic humor. In today's episode, Navalnaya joins NPR's Ari Shapiro to talk about a pivotal conversation between the couple during a prison visit, the duality of her late husband's personality as a serious politician and an ordinary family man, and taking up the mantle of the Russian opposition movement after Navalny's death.

    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

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    15 mins

Featured Article: We’re Booked—The Best Literature Podcasts for Every Bibliophile


Love everything books and literature? Of course, you do—that’s why you're here! Don’t worry, you’re in good company. If you're a book aficionado who loves chatting about literature with like-minded people, literature podcasts are the perfect addition to your listening lifestyle. There’s no shortage of great book podcast options to choose from. Here are just a few of the best literature podcasts, covering many different genres and styles of podcasting.

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