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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.

In 'Losing Our Religion,' Russell Moore tackles a crisis in evangelical Christianity

9 mins; August 28, 2023

'Mobility' examines wealth and climate change through the eyes of a teenage girl

8 mins; August 27, 2023

Short story collections by Steven Millhauser and Jamel Brinkley focus on the uncanny

17 mins; August 24, 2023

Pidgeon Pagonis' memoir 'Nobody Needs to Know' reclaims intersex identity

7 mins; August 23, 2023

In 'The Apology,' a South Korean grandmother makes amends from the afterlife

8 mins; August 22, 2023

James McBride's new murder mystery digs into Black and Jewish communities in the '30s

8 mins; August 21, 2023

'War and Punishment' chronicles the history of Russian oppression of Ukraine

7 mins; August 20, 2023

Two books reflect on the highs and lows of adolescence

14 mins; August 17, 2023

Terrance Hayes' poems span history, fables and quarantine in 'So to Speak'

8 mins; August 16, 2023

'Good Fortune' reimagines 'Pride and Prejudice' in early 2000s Chinatown

8 mins; August 15, 2023

'Filthy Rich Politicians' scrutinizes the wealth of elected officials

7 mins; August 14, 2023

Ann Patchett's new novel brings a mother and daughters together during 2020 lockdown

9 mins; August 13, 2023

Two novels depict young men understanding themselves and the danger around them

17 mins; August 10, 2023

In 'Soul Boom,' Rainn Wilson calls for a spiritual revolution

7 mins; August 09, 2023

In 'Miles Morales Suspended,' Spider-Man grapples with racism and saving the world

8 mins; August 08, 2023

'Soil' weaves together a poet's experience of gardening, race and community

9 mins; August 07, 2023

Bangles cofounder Susanna Hoffs' first novel follows a one-hit wonder, 10 years later

8 mins; August 06, 2023

Two books dive into the history of minimalist music and the origins of the saxophone

18 mins; August 03, 2023

Madhur Jaffrey celebrates 50 years of 'An Invitation to Indian Cooking'

8 mins; August 02, 2023

Poet Hanif Abdurraqib reflects on the ways grief has shaped his spirituality

15 mins; August 01, 2023

'Monsters' examines fandom and how we consume art by morally compromised people

9 mins; July 31, 2023

'The Collector' follows a fictional spy's quest to track down a real stolen painting

7 mins; July 30, 2023

Two children's books show the comfort kids can find in darkness

8 mins; July 27, 2023

In her memoir, designer Aurora James examines representation and equality in fashion

7 mins; July 26, 2023

'Nobody's Fool' explains the science behind falling for scams – and how not to

7 mins; July 25, 2023

'The Best Possible Experiences' captures immigrant experience through short stories

9 mins; July 24, 2023

'The Rachel Incident' looks back on early-20s friendships, love and mistakes

8 mins; July 23, 2023

Dennis Lehane and Jake Tapper pen new novels set in the 1970s

19 mins; July 20, 2023

'The Apartment' follows the residents of a Miami Beach building over decades

8 mins; July 19, 2023

'When Crack Was King' chronicles the misunderstood history of the crack epidemic

8 mins; July 18, 2023

'Ripe' tackles the dark side of Silicon Valley

8 mins; July 17, 2023

'Temple Folk' conveys the experiences of Black Muslims through short stories

8 mins; July 16, 2023

A Douglas Stuart double feature! 'Shuggie Bain' and 'Young Mungo'

17 mins; July 13, 2023

In 'Lessons In Chemistry' a chemist is the star of...a cooking show?

8 mins; July 12, 2023

How to manage a disaster in 'The Devil Never Sleeps'

8 mins; July 11, 2023

Novel 'Four Treasures of the Sky' focuses on the horrors of the Chinese Exclusion Act

9 mins; July 10, 2023

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

8 mins; July 09, 2023

Books by Vashti Harrison and Dolly Parton teach kids about self-love and courage

18 mins; July 06, 2023

'Brotherless Night' examines the Sri Lankan Civil War through the eyes of one family

10 mins; July 05, 2023

'Wonder Drug' traces the dark history of thalidomide and the birth defects it caused

7 mins; July 04, 2023

Adrienne Brodeur's novel 'Little Monsters' uncovers family secrets in Cape Cod

9 mins; July 03, 2023

Fae Myenne Ng's memoir examines the Chinese Exclusion Act's impact on families

10 mins; July 02, 2023

Two novels explore the complexities of parent-child relationships

17 mins; June 29, 2023

'Jeopardy!' host Ken Jennings pens a travel guide to the afterlife

8 mins; June 28, 2023

Kenny Smith's memoir 'Talk of Champions' looks back at a career shaped by the NBA

9 mins; June 27, 2023

J. Ryan Stradal's new novel pays homage to the supper clubs of the upper Midwest

11 mins; June 26, 2023

Frances Haugen's memoir looks back on why she blew the whistle on Facebook

11 mins; June 25, 2023

'The Postcard' and 'Good Night, Irene' detail how WWII impacted two families

19 mins; June 22, 2023

In her memoir 'Wannabe,' Aisha Harris examines how '90s pop culture shaped her

8 mins; June 21, 2023

Greg Marshall's memoir 'Leg' recounts growing up with cerebral palsy

9 mins; June 20, 2023

'Loot' traces the love, war and art that shaped India's colonial history

8 mins; June 19, 2023

Paul McCartney's new book of photographs looks back at Beatlemania in 1964

8 mins; June 18, 2023

Two books examine the evolution of the English language

17 mins; June 15, 2023

'The Talk' is a graphic memoir about the experiences of Black children and parents

8 mins; June 14, 2023

Inspired by P-22, 'Open Throat' follows a queer mountain lion's lonely survival in LA

7 mins; June 13, 2023

'Between Two Moons' is a coming-of-age story set during Ramadan

8 mins; June 12, 2023

'Built from the Fire' traces the impact of the Tulsa Race Massacre

8 mins; June 11, 2023

Stacey Abrams and James Comey pen novels about crime and government

17 mins; June 08, 2023

'Borderless' is a YA novel about a teenage migrant separated from her mother

10 mins; June 07, 2023

'Flawless' provides a deeply reported look into Korean beauty standards

4 mins; June 07, 2023

In 'Dances,' a Black ballerina navigates immense pressure and expectations

8 mins; June 05, 2023

Rachel Louise Snyder's memoir traces a life shaped by patriarchy and religion

9 mins; June 04, 2023

Two poets pen memoirs about the relationships that shaped their writing

17 mins; June 01, 2023

In 'The Kingmaker,' romantic sparks fly at a pipeline protest

9 mins; May 31, 2023

'Undaunted' provides a thorough history of the women who blazed trails in journalism

9 mins; May 30, 2023

In 'The Guest,' a sex worker wreaks havoc on the glitzy social scene at the Hamptons

9 mins; May 29, 2023

'Break the Wheel' examines police violence and accountability

7 mins; May 28, 2023

Jerry Seinfeld and Tom Hanks reflect on personal and professional longevity

20 mins; May 25, 2023

Cassandra Jackson's memoir looks back on a how tragic accident shaped her family

9 mins; May 24, 2023

In a new anthology, Justice Roe Williams rethinks fitness to be more inclusive

8 mins; May 23, 2023

R.F. Kuang's 'Yellowface' tackles cultural appropriation in publishing

8 mins; May 22, 2023

A new biography of Martin Luther King, Jr. explores the activist's life and faith

7 mins; May 21, 2023

Two books look back on family histories and secrets

16 mins; May 18, 2023

Lucinda Williams' memoir looks back on a career defying expectations

8 mins; May 17, 2023

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

8 mins; May 16, 2023

Matika Wilbur honors and celebrates Native American Tribal Nations in 'Project 562'

8 mins; May 15, 2023

In 'The Covenant of Water,' Abraham Verghese traces an Indian family's drowning curse

8 mins; May 14, 2023

Two novels depict young men understanding themselves and the danger around them

17 mins; May 11, 2023

In 'Soul Boom,' Rainn Wilson calls for a spiritual revolution

7 mins; May 10, 2023

In 'Miles Morales Suspended,' Spider-Man grapples with racism and saving the world

8 mins; May 09, 2023

'Soil' weaves together a poet's experience of gardening, race and community

9 mins; May 08, 2023

Bangles cofounder Susanna Hoffs' first novel follows a one-hit wonder, 10 years later

8 mins; May 07, 2023

'My Powerful Hair' and 'Contenders' tell stories of Indigenous heritage

20 mins; May 04, 2023

Rep. Katie Porter writes about being a working mom in Congress in 'I Swear'

8 mins; May 03, 2023

How author Dionne Ford found healing in the story of her enslaved ancestors

8 mins; May 02, 2023

Musician Questlove and crime writer S.A. Cosby on their new children's book

9 mins; May 01, 2023

Mary Louise Kelly on her memoir 'It. Goes. So. Fast. The Year of No Do-Overs'

10 mins; April 30, 2023

Two novels offer new perspectives on the women of Greek mythology

16 mins; April 27, 2023

'Redaction' examines criminal justice via portraits, poems written from legal papers

8 mins; April 26, 2023

'The Queen of Dirt Island' captures the bond between women in an Irish family

9 mins; April 25, 2023

How Indian migrant workers escaped human trafficking in Mississippi

12 mins; April 24, 2023

NPR's Ari Shapiro looks back on reporting, singing and touring in new memoir

8 mins; April 23, 2023

Two nonfiction books examine grief and its impact on memory

15 mins; April 20, 2023

'Decent People' is a murder mystery grappling with race in the segregated South

7 mins; April 19, 2023

Author Azar Nafisi says books can help you really live

8 mins; April 18, 2023

In 'Romantic Comedy,' Curtis Sittenfeld flips the gendered tropes

8 mins; April 17, 2023

'The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi' calls a mother and former pirate back to the sea

6 mins; April 16, 2023

Two novels find siblings confronting the evils around them

18 mins; April 13, 2023

In 'Empireland,' Sathnam Sanghera takes a closer look at the UK's imperialist history

7 mins; April 12, 2023

Colleen Oakley's new roadtrip novel takes inspiration from 'Thelma and Louise'

8 mins; April 11, 2023

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