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NPR's Book of the Day

In need of a good read? Or just want to keep up with the books everyone's talking about? NPR's Book of the Day gives you today's very best writing in a snackable, skimmable, pocket-sized podcast. Whether you're looking to engage with the big questions of our times – or temporarily escape from them – we've got an author who will speak to you, all genres, mood and writing styles included. Catch today's great books in 15 minutes or less.

'The SalviSoul Cookbook' celebrates Salvadoran food and the matriarchs who cook it

7 mins; May 22, 2024

'The Paris Novel' revels in a good meal, a beautiful dress and a romantic city

10 mins; May 22, 2024

In 'The White Bonus,' Tracie McMillan analyzes the monetary cost of racism

7 mins; May 21, 2024

'The Alternatives' is a novel about grief, sisterhood and working women

7 mins; May 20, 2024

Brittney Griner's memoir recounts her detention in Russia and finally 'Coming Home'

13 mins; May 17, 2024

'Lessons for Survival' thinks about parenting through social and environmental crises

10 mins; May 16, 2024

Colm Tóibín's long-anticipated sequel to 'Brooklyn' is 'Long Island'

8 mins; May 15, 2024

Chanel Miller's new children's book follows lost socks in New York City

15 mins; May 14, 2024

Rachel Khong's new novel explores who gets to be 'Real Americans'

8 mins; May 13, 2024

For Mother's Day, two books that tackle motherhood

18 mins; May 10, 2024

In 'Soil,' Camille Dungy weaves together gardening, race and motherhood

9 mins; May 09, 2024

Two mothers clash over integration in 'What's Mine & Yours'

8 mins; May 08, 2024

Poet Ocean Vuong shares his grief in 'Time Is A Mother'

7 mins; May 07, 2024

'The Three Mothers' who paved the way for three extraordinary men

12 mins; May 06, 2024

Two books analyze the highs and lows of baseball

16 mins; May 03, 2024

Amy Tan opens up about her birding obsession in 'The Backyard Bird Chronicles'

7 mins; May 02, 2024

Emily Henry's 'Funny Story' centers a new character in rom-com tropes

8 mins; May 01, 2024

'Mid-Air' is a middle grade book about fitting in, friendship and grief

7 mins; April 30, 2024

'New Cold Wars' examines the relationship between the U.S., Russia and China

9 mins; April 29, 2024

Salman Rushdie's memoir 'Knife' recounts his attack and recovery

17 mins; April 26, 2024

'Edith Holler' follows a young girl cursed – and trapped – in her father's theater

9 mins; April 25, 2024

Scout Bassett recalls her journey to becoming a Paralympian in 'Lucky Girl'

8 mins; April 24, 2024

Carys Davies tackles communication, isolation and the Scottish Clearances in 'Clear'

8 mins; April 23, 2024

For Earth Day, Susan Casey dives into 'The Underworld' of the deep ocean

7 mins; April 22, 2024

Two collections of horror stories modernize the genre

17 mins; April 19, 2024

'The Anxious Generation' analyzes the harmful effects of growing up online

7 mins; April 18, 2024

'Sociopath' is a memoir about how to live with – and treat – the social disorder

7 mins; April 17, 2024

'Memory Piece' follows female friendships over several decades

10 mins; April 16, 2024

In 'We Loved It All,' Lydia Millet dives into nonfiction

7 mins; April 15, 2024

Two books offer lessons on love and acceptance for young readers

15 mins; April 12, 2024

'All The World Beside' explores a queer relationship in a 1700s Puritan community

8 mins; April 11, 2024

'Wild Kingdom' co-host Rae Wynn-Grant found nature on TV

7 mins; April 10, 2024

Amor Towles revisits an old protagonist in 'Table for Two'

9 mins; April 09, 2024

Hanif Abdurraqib's new book ponders LeBron James, growing up and going home

14 mins; April 08, 2024

Two picture books use vivid colors to convey messages of joy and unity

18 mins; April 05, 2024

'Grief Is for People' is Sloane Crosley's memoir about losing a close friend

9 mins; April 04, 2024

'Wuhan' analyzes China's management and response to the COVID-19 pandemic

10 mins; April 03, 2024

'Whalefall' by Daniel Kraus is a thriller about diving, loss and new beginnings

10 mins; April 02, 2024

'Climate Capitalism' projects an optimistic future for environmental policy

10 mins; April 01, 2024

Don Paterson and Michael Ondaatje's new books meditate on poetry, time and memory

16 mins; March 29, 2024

'Hard by a Great Forest' is a novel about returning home decades after fleeing war

8 mins; March 28, 2024

Charles Spencer's memoir 'A Very Private School' opens up about boarding school abuse

11 mins; March 27, 2024

'Say Hello to My Little Friend' explores manhood, 'Scarface' and Miami stereotypes

9 mins; March 26, 2024

In 'The Exvangelicals,' Sarah McCammon analyzes loving and leaving the church

9 mins; March 25, 2024

Percival Everett centers a new voice in 'James,' a retelling of 'Huckleberry Finn'

15 mins; March 22, 2024

'Feeding Ghosts' is a graphic memoir grappling with generational trauma

10 mins; March 21, 2024

'Headshot' follows 8 teenage girls into the boxing ring

8 mins; March 20, 2024

Christine Blasey Ford tells her own story in 'One Way Back'

8 mins; March 19, 2024

'2054' is a political thriller about civil war, misinformation and AI

9 mins; March 18, 2024

In 'Collision of Power' and 'Outtakes,' journalists look back on their careers

19 mins; March 15, 2024

In 'The Extinction of Irena Rey,' translators search for a missing author

9 mins; March 14, 2024

'The Last Ships from Hamburg' recalls the plight of Jewish refugees before WWI

10 mins; March 13, 2024

Maurice Vellekoop's graphic memoir recounts his coming out to his religious family

9 mins; March 12, 2024

In 'Anita de Monte Laughs Last,' Xochitl Gonzalez explores marriage, art and success

8 mins; March 11, 2024

Tommy Orange follows 'There, There' with 'Wandering Stars'

16 mins; March 08, 2024

Kara Swisher's memoir 'Burn Book' reflects on a career covering Silicon Valley

7 mins; March 07, 2024

'The Rise and Fall of the EAST' chronicles China's economic history

10 mins; March 06, 2024

Lucy Sante's memoir reflects on her experience coming out as transgender in her 60s

7 mins; March 05, 2024

'The Achilles Trap' analyzes the relationship between the U.S. and Saddam Hussein

9 mins; March 04, 2024

Memoirs by Helen Rebanks and Crystal Wilkinson weave recipes with women's stories

19 mins; March 01, 2024

'Julia' revisits George Orwell's '1984,' from a new point of view

9 mins; February 29, 2024

Hala Gorani's memoir 'But You Don't Look Arab' is a journey of belonging

7 mins; February 28, 2024

'Ours' follows a woman in the 1830s who has the power to free enslaved people

9 mins; February 27, 2024

'Private Equity' analyzes the ethical and personal costs of a career in finance

10 mins; February 26, 2024

'Fierce Ambition' and 'The Lede' look inside the world of journalism

16 mins; February 23, 2024

'Thank You Please Come Again' pays homage to Southern gas station food shops

9 mins; February 22, 2024

In a new graphic novel, romance flourishes during the Lunar New Year

10 mins; February 21, 2024

'Fight Right' analyzes how to communicate and connect through relationship conflicts

10 mins; February 20, 2024

Yangsze Choo's 'The Fox Wife' explores gender, murder and folklore in the 1900s

8 mins; February 19, 2024

Novels by C.L. Miller and Tracy Sierra find suspense in spooky, old houses

17 mins; February 16, 2024

Kunal Purohit's book examines Hindutva pop, social media and hate speech

13 mins; February 15, 2024

GennaRose Nethercott's short stories expose the monstrosity of human longing

9 mins; February 14, 2024

'Toxic' looks back on Janet Jackson, Britney Spears and tabloid culture in the 2000s

9 mins; February 13, 2024

'Welcome the Wretched' argues for the separation of immigration and criminalization

11 mins; February 12, 2024

'The Forgotten First' and 'Parcells: A Football Life' chronicle NFL history

14 mins; February 09, 2024

Sarah Cooper's memoir 'Foolish' is about her immigrant family, TikTok fame and comedy

8 mins; February 08, 2024

'Not the End of the World' takes a solutions-based approach to climate change

9 mins; February 07, 2024

Ai Weiwei's graphic memoir 'Zodiac' recounts a life of art and activism

5 mins; February 06, 2024

'Find Me the Votes' investigates Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election

9 mins; February 05, 2024

'The Fury' and 'Radiant Heat' set whodunnits against extreme weather

17 mins; February 02, 2024

'Late Bloomers' is a novel about arranged marriage, divorce and dating later in life

8 mins; February 01, 2024

Kaveh Akbar's novel 'Martyr!' is a journey of identity, addiction and poetry

8 mins; January 31, 2024

In 'The Bullet Swallower,' the wild, wild West meets magical realism

6 mins; January 30, 2024

'Only Say Good Things' chronicles Crystal Hefner's life at the Playboy mansion

7 mins; January 29, 2024

'Black Sheep' and 'This Wretched Valley' use horror to question morality

14 mins; January 26, 2024

Michele Norris' 'Our Hidden Conversations' examines race and identity in the U.S.

7 mins; January 25, 2024

'Soundtrack of Silence' is a touching memoir about music and hearing loss

9 mins; January 24, 2024

Efrén C. Olivares' memoir recounts family separations at the border

12 mins; January 23, 2024

Claire Keegan's new book of stories explores tension, drama and gender dynamics

8 mins; January 22, 2024

Adam Kinzinger, Mitt Romney and the evolution of the Republican party

21 mins; January 19, 2024

'The Frozen River' tells the fictionalized story of a real 18th century midwife

8 mins; January 18, 2024

'The Golden Screen' chronicles the films that shaped the Asian American diaspora

9 mins; January 17, 2024

'Orbital' captures one day in the life of six astronauts

8 mins; January 16, 2024

Álvaro Enrigue's new novel reimagines Hernán Cortés' and Moctezuma's empires

7 mins; January 15, 2024

Two historical fiction novels focus on women's lives during wars in Southeast Asia

18 mins; January 12, 2024

Roxane Gay fleshes out her strong 'Opinions'

8 mins; January 11, 2024

Celine Saintclare's debut novel explores the life of a 'Sugar,Baby' in London

11 mins; January 10, 2024

Olympic runner Caster Semenya's memoir tackles gender stereotypes in sports

11 mins; January 09, 2024

Booker Prize winner 'Prophet Song' is a dystopian tale of Irish authoritarianism

8 mins; January 08, 2024

Novels by Barbara Kingsolver and Daniel Mason excavate history for new meanings

18 mins; January 05, 2024

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