10 of the Best Literary Podcasts

1 year ago 102

When I entered the satellite of literate podcasts backmost successful 2016, I had nary thought that I had entered a assemblage that would alteration my speechmaking life. I co-founded Reading Women, a podcast that would yet articulation Lit Hub Radio, and had the privilege of discussing books by oregon astir women for six fantastic years. In that time, I was amazed implicit and implicit again astatine however a azygous speech with an writer made maine a instrumentality of theirs for life. I fangirled implicit Lauren Groff and Samantha Irby, and I had to mute myself arsenic I cried portion talking to Maggie O’Farrell and Alice Wong. Each speech gave maine a caller position connected the world.

This is the powerfulness of literate podcasts. These shows springiness america wrong accusation astir our favourite authors oregon link to books that extremity up being our favorites for the remainder of our life. They tin comfortableness america connected our atrocious days and marque america consciousness joyousness erstwhile we request it. They tin amended america and springiness america caller insight.

But podcasting isn’t easy, and particularly for indie podcasters, these shows are a labour of love. So present are a premix of literate podcasts that I love. Some of them are connected to larger publications, portion others are conscionable making abstraction for themselves connected their own. But they each emotion books and observe them successful their ain way.

A graphic of the logo for AAWW Radio

AAWW Radio

I adore listening to writers speech astir their trade with different writers. There’s a beauteous consciousness of intimacy and knowing of the creation they some love. The Asian American Writers Workshop has agelong dedicated itself to giving authors of Asian descent a spot to hone their craft. The podcast expands connected the workshop’s mission, facilitating unthinkable conversations betwixt writers.

A graphic of the logo of Books & Boba

Books & Boba

Hosts Marvin Yueh and Reera Yoo sermon books by authors of Asian descent. I emotion however they bash a small spot of everything, including publication discussion, writer interviews, publication deals, and publication news. Books & Boba is an fantabulous illustration of however a publication podcast betwixt 2 friends has that peculiar magic that lone happens erstwhile 2 bully friends sermon the books they love.

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Debutiful

When I interviewed authors, I ever felt similar I needed to reign successful my questions astir however the authors constitute their books and however their books get published. But past I listened to Debutiful, and I thought, “This is what I’ve been looking for!” Creator and big Adam Vitcavage interviews debut authors astir their books, focusing connected however authors wrote their manuscripts and yet got published. These process-focused interviews springiness you a peek down the curtain of publishing and animate immoderate genuinely unsocial interviews.

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Fully Booked Podcast

The editors astatine Kirkus Reviews sermon the latest caller publication releases and bestsellers. I particularly similar the authors they take to person connected the show. They speech to a wide scope of authors astir their work, giving listeners an wrong look astatine authors’ thought processes down their books.

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A Good Read (BBC Radio 4)

A Good Read is my favourite comfortableness listen. Host Harriet Gilbert is joined by 2 guests, and they each take 1 prime to discuss. It’s a delight to perceive each idiosyncratic gush implicit their prime of a bully read. Sometimes determination are differing opinions astir the books, conscionable similar astatine immoderate different publication club. But it’s ever a bully time.

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LARB Radio Hour

In the publication podcast world, you person to carve retired a unsocial spot for yourself. And the LARB Radio Hour does conscionable that. Each podcast features an writer with a unsocial position connected lit and writing. Many of these authors are nether the radar. They mightiness not person bestsellers oregon person won large awards. But they constitute unthinkable books worthy reading.

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LeVar Burton Reads

As portion of the Reading Rainbow generation, fewer shows created the consciousness of joyousness that I felt watching Reading Rainbow. So ideate my joyousness erstwhile LeVar Burton came retired with a podcast wherever helium reads abbreviated stories to his listeners. Burton, arsenic always, has unthinkable taste, giving his listeners samples of immoderate of the champion writers’ enactment and encouraging america to spell work much from these authors.

A graphic of the logo for SFF Yeah!

SFF Yeah!

We person immoderate large podcasts present astatine Book Riot, too! One of my favorites is SFF Yeah! wherever co-costs Sharifah and Jenn sermon phantasy and subject fiction, geeking retired implicit their favourite authors and fantastical worlds. They often take a taxable oregon sub-genre and sermon books astir those categories. I particularly emotion their takes connected the latest movie and mini bid adaptations. They geek retired arsenic overmuch arsenic I do!

A graphic of the logo of Well-Read Black Girl

Well-Read Black Girl Podcast

Glory Edim started the fashionable Instagram relationship Well-Read Black Girl and turned it into an unthinkable platform. Now, Edim hosts her ain podcast with Pushkin. From Elizabeth Acevado to Deesha Philyaw, Edim interviews Black women writers from each walks of life. I emotion Edim’s benignant of interviewing wherever you’re sitting successful connected a speech betwixt 2 instant friends.

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What Should I Read Next?

Anne Bogel, the creator of Modern Mrs. Darcy, hosts What Should I Read Next? In the show, Bogel plays literate matchmaker for guests connected the show. Based connected the books her guests person loved (or didn’t love) successful the past, Bogel helps them determine what they should work next. Bogel is precise relaxed successful her attack erstwhile talking to her guests, which creates a precise conversational code to her shows.


That’s it for this circular of large literate podcasts! But for adjacent more, you tin find Book Riot’s fleet of podcasts here!

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