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NPR's Book of the Day

NPR's Book of the Day

By: NPR
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 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.Copyright 2021 NPR - For Personal Use Only Art Literary History & Criticism
Episodes
  • A meet-cute followed by real life: 'Party of Two' is about love in the real world

    A meet-cute followed by real life: 'Party of Two' is about love in the real world
    Jan 29 2026
    Romance writer Jasmine Guillory writes beautiful love stories – but that doesn't mean they aren't based in reality. Her novel Party of Two, from the summer of 2020, is about a Black woman and a white man who have a meet-cute and start a casual long-distance relationship. But race does have an impact on their connection because of the different ways the world has received them. Guillory told former NPR host Lulu Garcia-Navarro that real-life couples have these conversations, so her characters should too.


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    8 mins
  • Looking back at 'Normal People,' before Sally Rooney’s rise to fame

    Looking back at 'Normal People,' before Sally Rooney’s rise to fame
    Jan 28 2026
    In 2019, Sally Rooney was promoting Normal People, the novel that would become her breakout hit. The book inspired a popular Hulu adaptation and positioned the author as one of the leading literary voices of her generation. In today’s episode, we revisit an interview between Rooney and NPR’s Rachel Martin, in which they reflect on the shifting nature of the novel’s central relationship.


    To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday

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    8 mins
  • 'Emergency Contact' explores love in the age of modern technology

    'Emergency Contact' explores love in the age of modern technology
    Jan 27 2026
    Content warning: this episode contains discussions of sexual assault.


    It’s not breaking news that technology has seeped into modern dating culture. Screens make it easier for us to meet people, but does this convenience trigger a loss of genuine connection? In Mary H.K. Choi’s Emergency Contact, two young lovers are put to the test when their devices become an unwanted third party in their relationship. In today’s episode, Choi joins NPR’s Lulu Navarro for a conversation about her debut novel, and how teenagers can seek meaningful connections with each other beyond a phone screen.


    To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday


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    Show More Show Less
    8 mins
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brilliant! beautifully written and narrated.
I was transported back to Italy in the exquisite descriptions of villages, pensions and characters.

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