As any book lover will tell you, a good book doesn’t end the minute you flip the last page. There’s always something more to look forward to. Characters to dissect, plots to explore, themes to debate on, backstories to unravel, and more. This is where podcasts come in. With the ongoing boom in podcasting, book lovers are treated to an endless parade of shows that seek to inform and entertain. Whether you are looking to get an inside look at the lives of your favorite authors or looking to stack up your book list with the newest book recommendations, podcasts are a great way to strengthen your love for reading and literature.
Most Popular Podcasts for Book Lovers
Podcasts are a convenient medium for the average book lover. They allow you to enjoy conversations and interviews about your favorite topics and subjects. Drink coffee, drive to work, wash the dishes, cook while listening to these interesting podcasts. However, while the best podcasts can keep you entertained, finding a good literary podcast can be challenging. ChatEbooks lists 9 of the most popular podcasts that every book lover should consider listening to.
1. The New Yorker Fiction Podcast
Hosted by fiction editor Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker Fiction Podcast highlights the best of the best of short stories. Each month, Treisman invites esteemed writers to the show, chooses short stories from The New Yorker archives and reads them out loud during the program. After reading, Treisman and her guests engage in a brief but fascinating discussion about the selection.
2. Book Riot
Co-hosted by Jeff O’Neal and Rebecca Schinsky (editors at Book Riot), this podcast is “a weekly news and talk show about what’s new, cool and worth talking about in the world of books and reading.” The show focuses on the latest trends in the literary arena, including the technological aspects of the publishing industry and new releases. The popularity of this podcast can be imputed to its clever and humorous hosts.
3. Books on the Nightstand
With over 300 episodes under their belt, Books on the Nightstand is one podcast every book lover should subscribe to. Random House colleagues and hosts Michael Kindness and Ann Kingman give audiences a look at the world of books, bookstores, and publishing. Their discussions also include behind-the-scene takes on the world of the book industry. The podcast is designed for anybody who likes to read and wants to stay up-to-date with the latest happenings in the book world.
4. Dear Book Nerd
Hosted by librarian Rita Meade, Dear Book Nerd is a podcast that grew out of Meade’s advice column of the same title on Book Riot Magazine. Although relatively new, Dear Book Nerd is popular because it features an always changing line-up of guest hosts. Here, Meade tackles a number of book-related topics, including the pros and cons of lending books.
5. The Catapult
The Catapult is the perfect resource for book lovers that are looking to explore the literary arena. Hosted by Jaime Green, the podcast brings two writers together in each episode, giving them the opportunity to read from their work. If you are looking to discover new authors, then this is the podcast for you.
6. Guardian Books
Clair Armistead’s podcast is varied, featuring discussions on all manner of topics, from book reviews to interviews as well as literary recommendations. Guardian Books has been known to feature readings and, especially, excerpts from the latest and most popular releases.
7. The Readers
The Readers is a worthwhile listen, not because it is particularly insightful, but rather, the hosts (an American and an Englishman) make this one of the funniest and most charming podcasts around. If you are a book lover, then you will love listening to the hosts banter about books and everything book-related.
8. BBC World Book Club
BBC hosts some of the most famous authors in the world, both from recent times and previous generations. They are interviewed thoroughly about their personal lives, careers and the books they’ve written. This podcast works because of how diverse it is. It combines the works of today with titles that most book lovers probably haven’t heard about in decades.
9. Two Book Minimum
Two Book Minimum is a book lover’s dream podcast. With voices from an author, an author/comedian and a full-blown comedian, the conversations amongst these individuals often trail off into random subjects, making for a hilarious listening session. The nature of the interactions on this podcast is almost as valuable as the content they talk about.
With the deluge of literary podcasts emerging every day, there has never been a better time to be a book lover. You just have to weed through the ton of choices and find the podcast that injects its own unique voice into the reading and publishing conversation.
