Book Riot - The Podcast

Book Riot's managing editor Vanessa Diaz joins Rebecca for a discussion about the National Book Awards longlists, authors' big settlement from Anthropic, and exciting adaptation news. Then, Vanessa takes Rebecca on a journey down the literary rabbit hole.

Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

Subscribe to The Book Riot Newsletter for regular updates to get the most out of your reading life.

Ready for a cozy, bookish autumn? Let Tailored Book Recommendations help you find your next favorite read with handpicked suggestions from professional book nerds. Get started today from just $18!

Discussed in this Episode:

Anthropic agrees to pay $1.5 billion to settle book piracy lawsuit, but the judge has delayed it, citing concerns

2025 National Book Awards longlists are rolling out

Audition is being adapted

Annotated episode: The Original Gone Girl

Agatha Christie: A Mysterious Life by Laura Thompson

Ruth by Kate Riley

The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy

Murder Takes a Vacation by Laura Lippman

The Macabre by Kosoko Jackson

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca introduce their new podcast, Zero to Well-Read, with its inaugural episode about The Great Gatsby. We dig into what makes Gatsby a classic, why it’s all over high school reading lists, and the ways it still echoes in our culture.

This season of Zero to Well-Read is presented by Thriftbooks.

Subscribe to The Book Riot Newsletter for regular updates to help you get the most out of your reading life.

Email us: [email protected]

The Book Riot Podcast is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca announce a couple of new projects before talking about authors settling with Anthropic, Obama's summer reading list, the Kirkus Prize nominees, B&N buying Books Inc, and more of the week's book stories.

Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

Subscribe to The Book Riot Newsletter for regular updates to get the most out of your reading life and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky.

Ready for a cozy, bookish autumn? Let Tailored Book Recommendations help you find your next favorite read with handpicked suggestions from professional book nerds. Get started today from just $18!

Discussed in this Episode:

The Book Riot Podcast Patreon

Subscribe to Zero to Well-Read

Subscribe to The Book Riot Newsletter

Barnes & Noble to acquire Books, Inc

Anthropic settles in AI copyright infringement case over book piracy

Jonathan Karp steps down as Simon & Schuster CEO to run new imprint

2025 Kirkus Prize finalists (note the Nov 1-October 31 eligibility window, can we please stop)

Obama’s summer reading picks

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca crown the It Book of September 2025.

Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky.

Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter.

Ready for a cozy, bookish autumn? Let Tailored Book Recommendations help you find your next favorite read with handpicked suggestions from professional book nerds. Get started today from just $18!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a bonus preview of our Patreon-only episode: Deals Deals Deals for August 2025, in which Jeff presents interesting book deals for Rebecca's consideration.

To listen to the full episode and all previous bonus content, become a Patreon member here.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff, Rebecca, and Vanessa talk about Katabasis by R.F. Kuang. Spoiler-free discussion for the first bit, with warning when we wade into deeper plot waters.

Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky.

Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter.

Ready for a cozy, bookish autumn? Let Tailored Book Recommendations help you find your next favorite read with handpicked suggestions from professional book nerds. Get started today from just $18!

Use code BOOKRIOT to get an exclusive 60% off an annual Incogni plan at https://incogni.com/bookriot

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca talk about a big new survey of American reading habits, the Polari Prize closing up shop for the year, Katabasis getting an adaptation, ghost-written vanity memoirs, and more.

Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky.

Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter.

Ready for a cozy, bookish autumn? Let Tailored Book Recommendations help you find your next favorite read with handpicked suggestions from professional book nerds. Get started today from just $18!

The Book Riot Podcast is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network.

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Discussed in this episode:

Update: Polari Prizes canceled in response to protest

Katabasis set for TV adaptation

Study shows 40% decline in Americans who read for pleasure 2004-2023

BookTok is boosting sales at romance bookstores

Wealthy retirees are commissioning ghost-written memoirs

Church Camp by Cara Meredith

Katabasis by R.F. Kuang

Abundance by Klein and Thompson

Endling by Maria Reva

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca preview a huge season of literary adaptations.

Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky.

Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter.

Book Riot is hiring a digital content specialist! If you love books and know the ins and outs of social media strategy, and especially social video, consider joining the team. Find details and apply by August 22, 2025, at riotnewmedia.com/careers.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An encouraging court win, thoughts on book reviews, direct to Kanopy films, and more of the week's book news.

Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky.

Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter.

Book Riot is hiring a digital content specialist! If you love books and know the ins and outs of social media strategy, and especially social video, consider joining the team. Find details and apply by August 22, 2025, at riotnewmedia.com/careers.

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Discussed in this episode:

Judge strikes down much of Florida’s book banning bill

Associated Press to end weekly book reviews

Charlie Kaufman’s new short film will be distributed by Kanopy

Authors withdraw from consideration 

for queer book prize in protest of John Boyne’s inclusion

Emerald Fennell’s new Jane Eyre adaptation sounds wild

People Like Us by Jason Mott

It's Only Drowning by David Litt

Great Black Hope by Rob Franklin

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff and Rebecca process some public comments about the idea of being "well-read," a big influencer book club, a study on the gender of animals in kids books, and more book news of the week.

Subscribe to the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

Sign up for the Book Riot Podcast Newsletter and follow the show on Instagram and Bluesky.

Get more industry news with our Today in Books daily newsletter.

Book Riot is hiring a digital content specialist! If you love books and know the ins and outs of social media strategy, and especially social video, consider joining the team. Find details and apply by August 22, 2025, at riotnewmedia.com/careers.

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Discussed in this episode:

BookTok celeb Jack Edwards launches Inklings book club to “elevate” online reading culture

Obamas’ production company picks up All the Sinners Bleed

National Association of Black Bookstores launches

Study shows gender bias in animal characters in children’s books

Frontlist Foyer, brought to you by Thriftbooks: 

The Book of Alchemy

Clam Down by Anelise Chen

How to Be a Living Thing by Mari Andrew

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices