But That's Another Story

By Will Schwalbe / Macmillan

Personal Journals Society & Culture Arts

What's But That's Another Story about?

Can one story change the course of your life? Will Schwalbe, bestselling author of The End of Your Life Book Club and Books for Living, invites notable guests to tell stories of the books — and the moments — that changed them.

4.5

266266 ratings

Download our free app to listen on your phone

But That's Another Story episodes:

05.01.2020
Jennifer Finney Boylan
Memoirist Jennifer Finney Boylan on J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, transitioning, and man’s best friend. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, Lord of the...
04.17.2020
Emily Gould
Writer Emily Gould on Eileen Myles’s Chelsea Girls, riot grrrl culture, and turning her observations inward. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out The Adventures of Tintin graphic novel series created by Hergé, the...
04.03.2020
Revisit: Min Jin Lee
National Book Award finalist Min Jin Lee on George Eliot's Middlemarch, imposter syndrome, and her lifelong obsession with wisdom. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin, War and Peace...
03.20.2020
Rufi Thorpe
Novelist Rufi Thorpe on Jane Smiley’s Private Life, balancing motherhood with artistry, and a brush with mortality. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Anne of Green Gables Lucy Maud Montgomery, The Chocolate War...
03.06.2020
Melissa Rivero
Novelist Melissa Rivero on Elie Wiesel’s Night, questioning God, and growing up undocumented in America. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard, Dreaming in Cuban by Cristina...
02.21.2020
Melissa Clark
New York Times food writer Melissa Clark on Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote, Jewish Brooklyn, and eating her way through literature. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out the Little House on the Prairie...
02.07.2020
Simran Jeet Singh
Scholar and podcaster Simran Jeet Singh on Malcolm X and Alex Haley’s The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Edward Said’s Orientalism, and imposter syndrome to the max. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out The...
01.24.2020
André Aciman
Writer André Aciman on Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, bygone eras and luxurious summer days spent reading. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Enid Blyton’s The Famous Five series and The Hardy Boys books....
01.21.2020
Introducing: Storybound
If you're enjoying But That's Another Story, there's another storytelling podcast we think you'll really like. The following is an episode of Storybound, a new podcast from Lit Hub and The Podglomerate. In it, Mitch Albom reads an excerpt from his new book Finding...
01.10.2020
Gretchen Rubin
Writer Gretchen Rubin on Virginia Woolf’s A Writer’s Diary, finding joy and children’s literature. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web and Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie...
12.27.2019
Melinda Gates
Businesswoman and philanthropist Melinda Gates on James Baraz's Awakening Joy, spirituality, and the books that come into our lives later -- and put everything into perspective. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Ghost...
12.13.2019
Michael Frank
Writer Michael Frank on Pema Chodron’s When Things Fall Apart, infertility and waiting. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Pema Chodron’s When Things Fall Apart. Also look for Michael Frank’s The Mighty Franks...
11.29.2019
Michael Eric Dyson
Thought provocateur Michael Eric Dyson on James Baldwin’s The Fire Next Time, fictionalizing race and immersing himself in all forms of learning. To learn more about the books, poems and lyrics we discussed in this episode, check out Richard Henry...
11.15.2019
Terry Tempest Williams
Author and environmental activist Terry Tempest Williams on W.S. Merwin’s poem The Last One, leaving Mormonism and writing from pain. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Michael DiGiorgio and Roger Tory Peterson’s Peterson...
11.01.2019
Gary Janetti
TV writer Gary Janetti on Charles Dickens's David Copperfield, Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City, and writing his own script. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Randy Shilts's And the Band Played On::...
10.18.2019
Jessica Hagedorn
Author and playwright Jessica Hagedorn on Roberto Bolaño’s 2666, taking risks and the place of the writer in America. To learn more about some of the books we discussed in this episode, check out Grimms' Fairy Tales by Jacob and...
10.04.2019
Revisit: Josh Gondelman
This week, we're revisiting our conversation with Last Week Tonight writer Josh Gondelman, who just released his new memoir, Nice Try. He talks David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest, his comedy career, and the value of goodness over niceness. To learn...
09.20.2019
Lisa Cortes
Director and producer Lisa Cortes on Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children, cultural consciousness and finding her voice through different mediums. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Dr. Suess’s One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish,...
09.06.2019
Monique Truong
Writer Monique Truong on Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, food in literature, and seeing stories from a different angle. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls...
08.23.2019
Pamela Paul
Editor of The New York Times Book Review Pamela Paul on Thalia Zepatos's A Journey of One's Own, travel, and nonlinear life paths. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Island of the Blue...
08.09.2019
Janielle Kastner
Playwright and podcaster Janielle Kastner on C.S. Lewis's The Silver Chair, a winter literature party for the books and finding her meaningful narrative resolution. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out The Boxcar Children...
07.26.2019
Dani Shapiro
Writer Dani Shapiro on Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking, growing up as an Orthodox Jew and writing from trauma. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Are You There God? It's Me,...
07.12.2019
Cherise Wolas
Novelist Cherise Wolas on John Berger's Portraits, visiting museums, and finding her way back to writing. You can find transcripts of this episode and past ones on LitHub. Check out the podcast Case Closed, and the brand-new audiobook The Last...
06.28.2019
Live at the Book Expo America 2019
We're back at the Book Expo America for a live panel filled with candid conversation. Will sits down with authors Aarti Shahani, Stephen Chbosky and Nicole Dennis-Benn to discuss a book that changed their lives, as well as their own...
06.14.2019
Larry Kramer
Writer and activist Larry Kramer on D.H. Lawrence's Women in Love, the merits of rereading, and the best advice he's ever had. To learn more about the books we've mentioned in this week's episode, check out The Little Prince by...
05.31.2019
Hanna Rosin
Writer Hanna Rosin on Gay Talese's Thy Neighbor's Wife, the joy of debate, and learning how to be an American. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Howard's End by E.M. Forster, The End of...
05.17.2019
Lisa Lucas
National Book Foundation Executive Director Lisa Lucas on Robert Caro's The Power Broker, her political awakening, and the power of knowing. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Paul Revere and the World He Lived...
05.03.2019
Melinda Gates
Businesswoman and philanthropist Melinda Gates on James Baraz's Awakening Joy, spirituality, and the books that come into our lives later — and put everything into perspective. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Ghost Wall...
04.19.2019
Keith Gessen
Writer Keith Gessen on Saul Bellow's Humboldt's Gift, Russian literature, and figuring out which stories to tell. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out All the Sad Young Literary Menand A Terrible Countryby Keith Gessen,...
04.05.2019
Veronica Chambers
Writer and editor Veronica Chambers on Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits, demanding a better education, and the power of family lore. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out The Exorcistby William Peter Blatty,...
04.02.2019
Bonus: LeVar Burton Reads
Here’s a podcast recommendation for you: LeVar Burton Reads. Experience the best short fiction, handpicked and narrated by the world’s most legendary storyteller. Let host LeVar Burton (Reading Rainbow, Roots, Star Trek) transport you to unknown worldsthrough immersive soundscapes and...
03.22.2019
Live at the Book Expo of America
This week, we're bringing you a different kind of episode: a live panel that we taped at the Book Expo of America last summer. Will sat down with Wayetu Moore, Leigh Bardugo, and Rich Benjamin about the books that changed...
03.08.2019
Julie Buntin
Author Julie Buntin on Lorrie Moore’s Who Will Run The Frog Hospital, her rebellious youth, and the magnitude of girlhood friendships. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out As Meat Love Salt by Maria McCann,...
02.22.2019
Evan Ratliff
Writer Evan Ratliff on Hunter S. Thompson's Hell's Angels, his love of mysteries, and the future of longform journalism. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out On the Road by Jack Kerouac, Fear and Loathing...
02.08.2019
Maris Kreizman
Writer Maris Kreizman on Elizabeth McCracken's The Giant's House, the publishing industry, and gut feelings. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary, the Sweet Valley High series by...
01.25.2019
Peter Hedges
Writer and director Peter Hedges on Daniel J. Boorstin's The Image, writing What's Eating Gilbert Grape, and the power of books in our darkest moments. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Why I...
01.11.2019
Mari Andrew
Illustrator Mari Andrew on Maira Kalman’s The Principles of Uncertainty, her new memoir, and the beauty of ordinary things. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Warrior Cats by Erin Hunter, Harriet the Spy...
12.28.2018
Sam Sanders
NPR host Sam Sanders on Danzy Senna’s New People, the 2016 election, and how people can surprise us — if we let them. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out The Grapes of Wrath...
12.14.2018
Jodie Foster
Academy Award winner Jodie Foster on J.D. Salinger's Franny and Zooey, her career, and finding your tribe. To learn more about the books we've mentioned in this week's episode, check out The Ice Storm by Rick Moody, The Interestings by...
11.30.2018
Elizabeth Khuri Chandler
Goodreads co-founder Elizabeth Khuri Chandler on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, her high school ballerina days, and the lessons she carried — and continues to carry — with her. To learn more about the books we've mentioned in this week's...
11.16.2018
Shobha Rao
Author Shobha Rao on Laura Ingalls Wilder's The Little House on the Prairie, coming to America, and the power of literature across the ages. To learn more about the books we've mentioned in this week's episode, check out The Berlin...
11.02.2018
Sam Anderson
Writer Sam Anderson on the anthology The Art of the Personal Essay, his Dostoevsky obsession, and finding your voice. To learn more about the books we've mentioned in this week's episode, check out The King Must Die by Mary Renault,...
10.19.2018
Larry Kramer
Writer and activist Larry Kramer on D.H. Lawrence's Women in Love, the merits of rereading, and the best advice he's ever had. To learn more about the books we've mentioned in this week's episode, check out The Little Prince by...
10.05.2018
Jen Doll
Writer Jen Doll on Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, feeling like an outsider, and finding the courage to go for what you want. To learn more about the books we've mentioned in this week's episode, check out The...
09.21.2018
Kristi Coulter
Writer Kristi Coulter on Laurie Colwin's Happy All The Time, sobriety, and which books count as important. To learn more about the books we've mentioned in this week's episode, check out Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe mysteries, Kristi Coulter's Nothing Good...
09.07.2018
Amanda Stern
Author Amanda Stern on Rainer Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet, growing up as a fourth generation New Yorker, and living the questions. To learn more about the books we've mentioned in this week's episode, check out Will Schwalbe's Books...
08.24.2018
The Books That Changed Their Lives
This week, we're looking back on the lessons we've learned from all of our guests and the books that have changed their lives. To learn more about the books we've mentioned in this week's episode, check out Middlemarch by George...
08.10.2018
Nigel Poor
Ear Hustle's Nigel Poor on Raymond Carver's Cathedral, her many collections, and a lifelong habit of eavesdropping. To learn more about the books we mentioned in this episode, check out Mary Norton's The Borrowers, E.B. White's Stuart Little, and Raymond...
07.27.2018
Maeve Higgins
Comedian Maeve Higgins on Mohsin Hamid's Exit West, being an immigrant, and finding humor even in the most trying of times. To learn more about the books we discussed in this week's episode, check out Jay McInerney's Bright Lights Big...
07.13.2018
Mike Pesca
Slate's Mike Pesca on Gregg Easterbrook's The Progress Paradox, reporting on the media, and the merits of optimism. To learn more about the books we discussed in this episode, check out Nancy Mitford's Love in a Cold Climate and The...

What's But That's Another Story about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

But That's Another Story episodes:

Jennifer Finney Boylan

Emily Gould

Revisit: Min Jin Lee

Rufi Thorpe

Melissa Rivero

Melissa Clark

Simran Jeet Singh

André Aciman

Introducing: Storybound

Gretchen Rubin

Melinda Gates

Michael Frank

Michael Eric Dyson

Terry Tempest Williams

Gary Janetti

Jessica Hagedorn

Revisit: Josh Gondelman

Lisa Cortes

Monique Truong

Pamela Paul

Janielle Kastner

Dani Shapiro

Cherise Wolas

Live at the Book Expo America 2019

Larry Kramer

Hanna Rosin

Lisa Lucas

Melinda Gates

Keith Gessen

Veronica Chambers

Bonus: LeVar Burton Reads

Live at the Book Expo of America

Julie Buntin

Evan Ratliff

Maris Kreizman

Peter Hedges

Mari Andrew

Sam Sanders

Jodie Foster

Elizabeth Khuri Chandler

Shobha Rao

Sam Anderson

Larry Kramer

Jen Doll

Kristi Coulter

Amanda Stern

The Books That Changed Their Lives

Nigel Poor

Maeve Higgins

Mike Pesca