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Writing the Big One with Emma Pattee, Author of TILT Mar 27, 2025

Show notes

Jeff talks to Emma Pattee about her debut novel, Tilt. They talk earthquakes, IKEA, the consequences of writing place precisely, and much more. This book is a winner, folks.

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Making Phosphorus Interesting: WHITE LIGHT and How to Make a Microhistory Mar 21, 2025

Show notes

Jeff is joined by Jack Lohmann, author of the new book White Light: The Elemental Role of Phosphorus-in Our Cells, in Our Food, and in Our World. Plus, his editor at Pantheon, Todd Portnowitz joins the conversation to talk about positioning, crafting, and otherwise publishing non-fiction like this.

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The Reading Life of Stephen Graham Jones Mar 20, 2025

Show notes

Jeff talks to Stephen Graham Jones about his reading life. Stephen Graham Jones is the NYT bestselling author of thirty-five or so novels and collections, and there are some novellas and comic books in there as well. Most recent are Earthdivers and I Was a Teenage Slasher.

His new book, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, is out now.

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How Hollywood Shaped Joan Didion with Alissa Wilkinson Mar 14, 2025

Show notes

Alissa Wilkinson joins Jeff to talk about her new book, We Tell Ourselves Stories: Joan Didion and the American Dream Machine.

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Discussed in this episode:

We Tell Ourselves Stories: Joan Didion and the American Dream Machine by Alissa Wilkinson

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A Gift from the Internet, Murder Ballads, and Liking Your Writing with Amal El-Mohtar Mar 06, 2025

Show notes

Jeff talks to Amal El-Mohtar about This is How You Lose the Time War getting one of greatest bookish gifts ever bestowed by the internet before talking about her new book, The River Has Roots.

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Discussed in this episode:

The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell's on March 13th

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone

The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar

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10 Notecards with Scaachi Koul Mar 04, 2025

Show notes

Scaachi Koul joins Jeff to talk about her new book, Sucker Punch with a new little format for First Edition called "10 Notecards With..." Jeff has picked out 10 things from the new book — words, ideas, stories, etc. — written them on notecards, and then has Saachi pick them at random (at least at the start order). Turned out to be a lot of fun, so expect to hear more of these.

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Discussed in This Episode:

The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell's on March 13th

Sucker Punch by Scaachi Koul

One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter by Scaachi Koul

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How to Talk About New Books for 500 Episodes Feb 27, 2025

Show notes

Liberty Hardy joins Jeff to talk about hosting 500 episodes of All The Books! and a host of other reading-related topics.

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Discussed in this episode:

All The Books!

Liberty Hardy on Instagram

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Book Collecting, Bibliomemoir, and JANE AUSTEN’S BOOKSHELF with Rebecca Romney Feb 21, 2025

Show notes

Rebecca Romney joins Jeff to talk about her new book, Jane Austen's Bookshelf. They talk about personal book collecting, rediscovering literary history for yourself, a few of the writers Austen admired, and more. Jane Austen's Bookshelf is out now.

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Discussed in this episode:

Jane Austen's Bookshelf by Rebecca Romney

Rebecca Romney on Instagram

The Honey & Wax Book Collecting Contest

Type Punch Matrix (Romney's Rare Book Company)

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BIBLIOPHOBIA with Sarah Chihaya Feb 13, 2025

Show notes

Sarah Chihaya joins Jeff to talk about her new memoir, Bibliophobia. They talk life-ruining books, the enormous weight of all the books that are out there and how we cannot read them all, and other less-talked about parts of the reading life.

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Discussed in this episode:

Bibliophobia by Sarah Chihaya

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Life, Literature, and Psychological Richness with Professor Shigehiro Oishi Feb 06, 2025

Show notes

Jeff talks to Professor Shigehiro Oishi about his new book, Life in Three Dimensions: How Curiosity, Exploration, and Experience Make a Fuller, Better Life.

Books and reading play a central role in the book, both as examples but also as avenues towards living a psychologically rich life. I really enjoyed this book and this conversation.

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