Chatter on Books

By Torie Clarke

This weekly podcast will be hosted by Torie Clarke with co-hosts David Aldridge, Jeanne McManus and Michael Kornheiser. Each week, they'll have entertaining interviews with authors, plus lively discus... more

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FAQs about Chatter on Books:

How many episodes does Chatter on Books have?

The podcast currently has 234 episodes available.

Chatter on Books episodes:

January 27, 2026 Mark Medley "Live to See the Day: Impossible Goals, Unimaginable Futures, and the Pursuit of Things That May Never Be"
"In the DNA." Chatter rolls through snowmageddon with Claude, David, Jamie, and Torie. Nancy Baenen of Arcadia Books returns to nominate their first author for "The Pitch", James DeVita and his book "Sanctuary," post-apocalyptic yet scarily current. Then Mark Medley zooms in to share "Live to See the Day," his empathetic search to answer the question: what keeps people going against insurmountable odds? Over five years, multiple continents, and hundreds of interviews Mark finds the true meaning of hope against the odds. It's fun, inspirational, and we want to take all of Mark's people to dinner!
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54min
January 13, 2026 William Rankin "Radical Cartography: How Changing Our Maps Can Change Our World"
"Challenge the status quo." Chatter rolls (fast) into 2026. Torie, Claude, and COB's favorite Mayor Jud Ashman catch up and look ahead to the Gaithersburg Book Festival in May. Elaine Katzenberger of City Lights Booksellers and Publishers introduces Rae Alexandra, first nominee for "The Pitch," the writing contest in which independent book stores nominate an author from their region with a new book out in 2026. Rae's is "Unsung Heroines: 35 Women Who Changed the Bay Area," untold stories of ground breaking women in every walk of life that shaped California. Professor and world renowned cartographer William Rankin zooms in to share "Radical Cartography: How Changing Our Maps Can Change Our World." A fascinating and beautiful look at how maps can — and should — shape our perceptions of the world around us. You'll never look at a map the same again.
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45min
December 17, 2025 Steve Israel & Steve Vogel
Steve Israel - "The Einstein Conspiracy"

&

Steve Vogel - "A Task Force Called Faith: The Untold Story of the U.S. Army Soldiers Who Fought for Survival at Chosin Reservoir — and Honor Back Home"

Chatter rolls into the holidays with Claude, David, Torie, and icon James Grady. They pre-sneak Jim's book out in 2026 and rave about two COB alums, Charlotte Wood and Tevi Troy. Both make major "best of 25" lists. Then it's time for the two Steves. First up is Steve Israel, former Congressman and current author and owner of Theodore's Books. His latest, "The Einstein Conspiracy" is a page turning take based on actual events that pit FBI agents against undercover Nazi operatives. Second Steve up is Steve Vogel, COB alum and author this time of "A Task Force Called Faith," as ever with Vogel, meticulously researched and beautifully written. "Task Force" tells the true and tragic story of Army soldiers who fought in the toughest battle of the Korean War and then decades restoring their rightful place in history.
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40min
December 02, 2025 Eugenia Cheng "Unequal: The Math of When Things Do and Don't Add Up"
Group Therapy

Chatter rolls with Claude, David, Jamie, and Torie. Torie pitches Rob Dundon's wonderful cause in honor of his mother Cathy (go to: alt.org/goto/CathysLegacy/2025. The gang makes holiday gift recommendations. Scientist in Residence at the School of Art Institute in Chicago Eugenia Cheng zooms in to share "Unequal — The Math of When Things Do and Don't Add Up," It's about so much more than numbers and certainty. It's about nuance and perspective and understanding.
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37min
November 25, 2025 Thomas Dann "Midnight in Memphis"
"Unfinished Business" Chatter rolls live in an undisclosed secure location in the DMV with Claude, David, Torie, and Renaissance man Rodney. It's "boy time" as Rodney extols the virtues of his men's book club. Charter member Thomas Dann joins to share "Midnight in Memphis," a mystery set in 1950s Memphis. A Southern noir "Midnight" is a nuanced look at race, political turmoil, and relationships in both. As Scott Turow put it, Dann uncovers the "enticing, sometimes lurid, mysteries that always seemed to lurk beneath the surface of the old south."
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38min
November 11, 2025 DeMaurice Smith "Turf Wars: The Fight For the Soul of America's Game"
"More than football." Chatter goes live at Caddies on Cordell, the DMV's premier sports bar, with Claude, David, Torie, S.L. Price and DeMaurice Smith, longtime head of the National Football League Players Association. They break down the latest sports gambling scandal (nobody's shocked and all are worried about the impact). Smith shares "Turf Wars," the ultimate insiders look at the biggest battles between football owners and players.
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59min
November 07, 2025 Ann E. Butler "Wife, Mother, Spy: An Extraordinary Life Filled With Ordinary Days"
"Extracting information." Chatter rolls with Claude, David, Jamie, and Torie. They cover Claude's equine role and the NBA cheating scandal. (Who knew the mob was still so active!). Nancy Baenen of Arcadia Books joins to chat up her iconic Wisconsin book store and dispense advice on "The Pitch," the 2026 Chatter on Books writing competition. Ann E. Butler zooms in to share "Wife, Mother, Spy," her exceptional book about an extraordinary life. CIA operative and mother of five, Butler juggled parenting around the globe AND recruited spies, gleaned intelligence and protected the country. We're in awe.
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42min
October 14, 2025 Mary Roach "Replaceable You: Adventures in Human Anatomy"
"An interesting planet." Chatter rolls with Claude, David and Torie. They reveal Claude's latest acting role in the mansion murders podcast and continue working on "The Pitch," Best selling, wicked smart, and very funny Mary Roach zooms in to share "Replaceable You." Forget what you think you know about human anatomy and how we replace/fix/grow new body parts. "Replaceable You" means never looking at a pig the same way again. It's terrific!
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40min
September 30, 2025 Hannah Pittard "If You Love It, Let It Kill You"
Chatter rolls with Claude, David, Torie and Jamie (fresh from Vegas). Get wells for Dolly the Goddess kick things off, and the gang shares thoughts on the Ryder Cup and boisterous American fans. The award winning, best selling, and very funny Hannah Pittard zooms in to share her latest novel, "If You Love It, Let It Kill You." Drop the couples therapy and buy this book. Pittard nails relationships, artistic expression, and making ordinary things profound. Not to mention the best talking cat ever.
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47min
September 16, 2025 Susan Morrison "Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live"
"The definitive biography." Chatter rolls back with Claude, David, Torie, and COB fave James Grady. They hit summer highlights, why Barnes & Noble is on a roll, and ideated Chatter's soon-to-be writing competition (working title: The Pitch). Susan Morrison zooms in with "Lorne," a decade long look at the man at the center of Saturday Night Live. It's the ultimate "fly on the wall" experience and a walk through fifty years of entertainment, and culture, and politics, and life.
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44min

FAQs about Chatter on Books:

How many episodes does Chatter on Books have?

The podcast currently has 234 episodes available.

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