Episodes

  • Revisiting ‘Kitchen Confidential’

    Revisiting ‘Kitchen Confidential’
    Dec 13 2025
    Anthony Bourdain published his memoir Kitchen Confidential in 2000 as a little-known chef. In the 25 years since its publication, his writing – and subsequent work in TV and entertainment – has shaped the way we talk about restaurants and food. In today’s Books We’ve Loved, Andrew Limbong and B.A. Parker are joined by Eric Deggans, critic-at-large at NPR. They discuss Bourdain’s documentation of a particular time in the restaurant industry, the book’s impact on dining culture, and Bourdain’s personal legacy. Then, special guest Samin Nosrat shares her perspective on what’s changed in the culinary world in the years since.


    Eric’s Recommendation: ‘Homicide: A Year on the Killing Streets’ by David Simon

    Parker’s Recommendation: ‘Land of Milk and Honey’ by C Pam Zhang

    Andrew’s Recommendation: ‘Meet Me in the Bathroom’ by Lizzy Goodman


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    37 mins
  • ‘How a Game Lives,’ ‘How to Save the Internet’ show the best and worst of life online

    ‘How a Game Lives,’ ‘How to Save the Internet’ show the best and worst of life online
    Dec 12 2025
    Two new books delve into the best and worst corners of the internet. First, Jacob Geller creates YouTube essays about art, literature, film, video games and more. He’s compiled those essays in print form in a new book called How a Game Lives. In today’s episode, Geller speaks with Here & Now’s Scott Tong about how video games help him explore life’s big questions. Then, Nick Clegg was president of global affairs at Meta, a position he left earlier this year. In today’s episode, Clegg talks with NPR’s Steve Inskeep about his new book How to Save the Internet.


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    19 mins
  • A new book of poems by Kate Baer wrestles with the realities of middle age

    A new book of poems by Kate Baer wrestles with the realities of middle age
    Dec 11 2025
    NPR’s Scott Detrow and poet Kate Baer share a favorite bookstore in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. They recently met there to discuss Baer’s new poetry collection How About Now, which wrestles with the realities of middle age. In today’s episode, Baer tells Detrow about navigating honesty and privacy in her work, what it’s like to share shelf space with poets like Ada Limón and Sharon Olds, and writing moments that made her hear “the angels sing.”


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    9 mins
  • In 'The Unveiling,' a disastrous cruise becomes an opportunity for cultural reckoning

    In 'The Unveiling,' a disastrous cruise becomes an opportunity for cultural reckoning
    Dec 10 2025
    Even if you’re scared of cruise ships, don’t turn away from Quan Barry’s The Unveiling. When film scout and photographer Striker boards an Antarctic cruise in search of locations for a new biopic, things start to go wrong — lots of things. But there’s much to learn from Barry’s quirky cast of characters, with a tech billionaire and a blended queer family among them. In today’s episode, Barry talks with NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe about the power of discovery on and off the ship, and the process of crafting a novel without a single chapter break.

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    8 mins
  • Deborah Willis on her seminal history of Black photography, reissued 25 years later

    Deborah Willis on her seminal history of Black photography, reissued 25 years later
    Dec 9 2025
    Deborah Willis is one of the foremost authorities on Black photography. The MacArthur “genius award” winner has dedicated her career to cataloging and showcasing Black photographers and photos of Black people. And her seminal work – Reflections in Black: A History of Black Photographers 1840 to the Present – has been reissued after 25 years. In today’s episode, Michel Martin visits Willis at New York University to talk about the expanded edition of the book and the gallery show inspired by it.


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    8 mins
  • In ‘Best Offer Wins,’ an ambitious millennial is driven mad by the homebuying process

    In ‘Best Offer Wins,’ an ambitious millennial is driven mad by the homebuying process
    Dec 8 2025
    Marisa Kashino used to report on the real estate industry in Washington, D.C. That experience inspired her debut novel, Best Offer Wins, which follows an ambitious woman who goes to extreme lengths to secure her dream home. In today’s episode, Kashino joins NPR’s Miles Parks for a conversation that touches on the changing nature of home ownership in the United States, particularly for millennials.


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    7 mins
  • Revisiting Frank Herbert’s ‘Dune’

    Revisiting Frank Herbert’s ‘Dune’
    Dec 6 2025
    Frank Herbert’s 1965 epic Dune was once the domain of sci-fi diehards. But in recent years, the book has crossed over into the mainstream. In today’s Books We’ve Loved, Andrew Limbong and B.A. Parker are joined by Throughline’s Ramtin Arablouei, who makes a personal case for the story’s appeal – despite its density. Then, special guest, author Pierce Brown, shares whether he thinks Dune has reached Star Wars levels of cultural saturation.


    Ramtin’s Recommendation: ‘Rendezvous with Rama’ by Arthur C. Clarke

    Parker’s Recommendation: ‘The Left Hand of Darkness’ by Ursula K. Le Guin

    Andrew’s Recommendation: ‘Saga’ by Brian K. Vaughn


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    37 mins
  • In new novels, marriages are tested by a last request and a moment in the spotlight

    In new novels, marriages are tested by a last request and a moment in the spotlight
    Dec 5 2025
    In two new novels, marriages are tested by unusual circumstances. First, in Ann Packer’s Some Bright Nowhere, a woman dying of cancer makes a big ask of her husband. In today’s episode, Packer speaks with NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly about the uncertainty of illness and what writers do between books. Then, Craig Thomas, the co-creator of How I Met Your Mother, is out with a novel. In today’s episode, he tells NPR’s Sacha Pfeiffer about That’s Not How It Happened, in which a feel-good movie threatens to destroy the family who inspired it.


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    18 mins