First Edition returns after a summer hiatus. Amanda Bullock of Portland's Literary Arts talks about how to make a literary festival, Literary Arts growth over the past several years, and advice for book festival attendees. Then, The Atlantic Books editor Boris Kachka joins to talk about The Atlantic's new The Writer's Way series and creating modern book coverage.

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Discussed in this episode:

The 2025 Portland Book Festival

Literary Arts

The Writer's Way Series at The Atlantic

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Jeff talks to Adam Aleksic about his new book, Algospeak: How Social Media is Transforming the Future of Language. Not sure if you will better or worse about how algorithms, censorship, and influencer culture are shaping language, but you will at least understand it better.

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Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations delivers reading recommendations hand-picked just for you by real human book nerds. Plans start at just $18!

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Discussed in this episode:

Algospeak: How Social Media is Transforming the Future of Language by Adam Aleksic

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Jeff talks about Hot Girls with Balls with author Benedict Nguyen.

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The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell’s on July 9th, 2025

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Jeff talks to rare-bookseller turned fantasy author Oliver Darkshire about his debut work of fantasy, Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil. Darkshire's breakout memoir of being an accidental rare bookseller is Once Upon a Tome.

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The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell’s on July 9th, 2025

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Peter Mendelsund is a writer, book designer, musician, novelist, and painter. And he has two books coming out within just a couple of weeks of each other: Exhibitionist and Weepers. We talk about both in deep, wide-ranging conversation. This is a good one.

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The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell’s on July 9th, 2025

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Kate McKean joins Jeff to talk about her new book, Write Through It: An Insider's Guide to Publishing and the Creative Life. Kate is a literary agent at the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency and writes the extremely interesting and popular Agents + Books newsletter.

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Discussed in this episode:

The Two Kinds of Book Auctions

The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell’s on July 9th, 2025

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I am working on a permanent title for this episode format, where I just run through a bunch of books I am interested in that are coming out in the current month. You get the idea.

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Tailored Book Recommendations has the chops to find the right read for your loved one this Father’s Day. Gift TBR today starting at just $18!

Discussed in this episode:

The Book Riot Podcast

The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell’s on July 9th, 2025

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June new releases are hopping. Jeff talks to Susan Choi about her new novel, Flashlight. Then, Damon Young comes on to talk about his new anthology, That's How They Get You: An Unruly Anthology of Black Humor.

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Tailored Book Recommendations has the chops to find the right read for your loved one this Father’s Day. Gift TBR today starting at just $18!

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Discussed in this episode:

The Book Riot Podcast

The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell's on July 9th, 2025

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Gretchen Rubin returns to the show to talk about wisdom, aphorisms, and her new book, The Secrets of Adulthood. PLUS: a silent reading challenge coming in June that anyone can do.

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Discussed in this episode:

The Secrets of Adulthood by Gretchen Rubin

Read 25 Day

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Jeff goes over a couple dozen May new releases that he definitely might consider thinking about reading. Then, Book.io co-founder and CEO Joshua Stone comes on to talk about what the blockchain could offer the world of books and reading.

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Email jeff at firstedition (at) bookriot (dot).com

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