Fully Booked by Kirkus Reviews
370 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 days ago - ★★★★ - 80 ratingsGet the ultimate insider's scoop on the best new books. The editors at Kirkus Reviews interview your favorite authors, tell you whether or not the books on the bestseller list are worth the read, give you behind-the-scenes insights, and introduce you to great books you may otherwise never find.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Michael Scott Moore
July 24, 2018 06:00 - 57 minutes - 24.3 MBThis week, we talk to the author of one of 2018's most unique books, THE DESERT AND THE SEA: 977 DAYS CAPTIVE ON THE SOMALI PIRATE COAST. Michael Scott Moore is a journalist who was curious why some Somalian men became pirates...and then he was kidnapped by them. Megan and Clay talk about some outrageously priced books and our editors reveal which new books are their best bets! Visit GetQuip.com/Kirkus to get your first Quip Toothbrushes refill pack FREE! Check out MeUndies.com/Kirkus for ...
Megan Abbott
July 17, 2018 07:00 - 55 minutes - 23.3 MBIn Megan Abbott's smart new thriller, GIVE ME YOUR HAND, Kit Owens, a rising star in a famous laboratory can track her success back to the one person in her life she'd like to forget. And that person doesn't want to leave Kit alone. "It will take more than a cold shower to still the blood thumping in your ears when you finish this," our reviewer writes in a starred review. Megan and Clay catch up with Megan on this week’s episode. Jump over to MeUndies.com/KIRKUS for your TWENTY PERCENT OFF ...
Ottessa Moshfegh
July 10, 2018 07:00 - 51 minutes - 21.3 MBThe protagonist of Ottessa Moshfegh's new novel, MY YEAR OF REST AND RELAXATION, doesn't just take some time off from her job; she spends a year hibernating with strong sedatives, in the hope that she'll emerge transformed. The novel is a nervy modern-day rebellion tale that isn't afraid to get dark or find humor in the darkness and we ask Moshfegh about writing it. Megan and Clay recommend some overlooked summer reading picks and our editors talk about their favorite reads this week.
Angie Thomas
July 03, 2018 07:00 - 1 hour - 25.9 MBAngie Thomas' debut novel, THE HATE U GIVE, has spent an astounding 69 weeks on the New York Times young adult bestseller list and will be released as a movie this fall. In the novel, 16-year-old Starr Carter is a black girl and an expert at navigating the two worlds she exists in: her black neighborhood, and the other at her suburban, mostly white high school. Walking the line between the two becomes immensely harder when Starr is present at the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend by...
David Sedaris
June 26, 2018 07:00 - 50 minutes - 20.8 MBThis week, Megan and Clay ask David Sedaris about the snapping turtle he tried to feed his benign tumor to (the turtle's name was Granddaddy; the serious drift in his new collection of essays, CALYPSO; and what his siblings think about being written about so often by him. Have you ever wondered why your grade school English teacher insisted you stop ending a sentence with a preposition? We have the answer. And our editors reveal their favorite new books!
Cassandra Clare
June 19, 2018 07:00 - 49 minutes - 21 MBThis week, we catch up with one of the bestselling YA writers publishing today – Cassandra Clare. She talks to us about her latest books, her upcoming series, and what it's like wanting to satisfy a lot of fans who have different ideas about what her characters should be doing. Megan and Clay speculate on the working method James Patterson and Bill Clinton used to co-write THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING and our editors reveal which new bestsellers are worth your time!
Jessica Knoll
June 12, 2018 05:00 - 57 minutes - 24.1 MBThis week, we're all about great summer reads. We talk to Jessica Knoll, whose debut, LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE, was a major bestseller; her new thriller, THE FAVORITE SISTER, is an addictive thriller in which the set of a reality TV show gets a little too real and a star is murdered. But the novel is also a trenchant, deep dissection of contemporary feminism. And our editors join us to reveal their favorite summer reads!
Rick Bragg
June 05, 2018 06:00 - 56 minutes - 24.4 MBRick Bragg has been telling stories about his family for decades now, including his bestselling books ALL OVER BUT THE SHOUTIN' and AVA'S MAN. His new book, THE BEST COOK IN THE WORLD, is about the "working-class mountain food" of his native Alabama and his mother, who does wonders with all kinds of Southern food. Megan and Clay talk about "trauma envy" among writers and our editors join us to talk about this week's bestellers.
Barbara Ehrenreich
May 29, 2018 06:00 - 58 minutes - 24.8 MBBarbara Ehrenreich is the notable writer who tackles whatever subjects interest her most: American poverty, the American idea of "positivity," and now, in NATURAL CAUSES, she returns with research and rumination on the complexity of our human bodies and the misconceptions of our minds. She urges that we recognize that death is natural, and that we enjoy our lives while we can. Megan and Clay talk about the summer books they're most excited about and our editors join the podcast to reveal whic...
Jesmyn Ward
May 22, 2018 06:00 - 1 hour - 27.5 MBThis week, Kirkus Reviews editor Clay Smith interviews two-time National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward live on stage from her recent book tour event in Austin, Texas. Ward's novel SING, UNBURIED, SING is the story of a family in rural Mississippi taking a road trip to the notoriously brutal Parchman prison, where a family member is being released. As with the best and most meaningful American fiction these days, old truths are recast in the novel in new realities rife with both peril and prom...
David Duchovny
May 15, 2018 06:00 - 1 hour - 26.6 MBThis week, our hosts catch up with David Duchovny, who in addition to being an actor and musician, is a novelist (three times over!). His latest, MISS SUBWAYS, is an entertaining, postmodern fairy tale that tests the boundaries of love and fate. And our editors reveal which new books they think are well worth your time!
Joy Press, Adrienne Sharp and Ben Fritz
May 08, 2018 06:00 - 1 hour - 28 MBFully Booked goes to Hollywood this week! We catch up with some of the leading writers covering Hollywood: Joy Press, who profiles the women who've been transforming television in STEALING THE SHOW; Adrienne Sharp, whose new novel, THE MAGNIFICENT ESME WELLS, is set in the old studio system of Hollywood and in Las Vegas in the 1950's; and Ben Fritz, whose book THE BIG PICTURE: THE FIGHT FOR THE FUTURE OF MOVIES, reveals why Hollywood is sticking to safe, reliable movies like superhero series....
Marcia Gay Harden and Melissa Broder
May 01, 2018 06:00 - 55 minutes - 23.8 MBWhen Oscar-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden’s mother began to show signs of Alzheimer's disease, Harden decided to try to capture her memories before they were gone. Harden's new book, THE SEASONS OF MY MOTHER, is an affectionate memoir about a spirited mother-daughter relationship and Harden tells us about the book on this week's episode. Why do we always talk about mermaids instead of mermen? In Melissa Broder's buzzy debut novel, THE PISCES, a disaffected academic struggling with a breaku...
Luis Alberto Urrea and Cutter Wood
April 24, 2018 06:00 - 1 hour - 26.2 MBThis week, we talk to Luis Alberto Urrea, whose new novel, THE HOUSE OF BROKEN ANGELS, is getting great reviews, including a starred review from Kirkus, whose reviewer writes that the novel is, "a family saga that asks what it means to be American." We also catch up with Cutter Wood, whose debut true crime book, LOVE AND DEATH IN THE SUNSHINE STATE allows Wood to tackle a true-crime story and, in the process, discover some uncomfortable truths about himself. And our editors reveal which new b...
Cecile Richards and Alex Wagner
April 17, 2018 06:00 - 1 hour - 25.1 MBThis week, in our special Woman Episode sponsored by Sourcebooks, we catch up with Cecile Richards, the outgoing president of Planned Parenthood who has led that organization through many bruising tussles with political leaders. Her new memoir, MAKE TROUBLE, is just out this month. We also talk to Alex Wagner, the CBS correspondent and writer; her new book FUTUREFACE: A FAMILY MYSTERY, AN EPIC QUEST, AND THE SECRET TO BELONGING, is a fascinating story about her complicated search for her ance...
Sloane Crosley and Don Graham
April 10, 2018 06:00 - 1 hour - 26.1 MBIn bestseller Sloane Crosley's new essay collection, LOOK ALIVE OUT THERE, the witty, perceptive writer confronts middle age, and she's not exactly loving it. What was life like on the set of the big-budget, Hollywood epic, GIANT, starring Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, and James Dean (egos clashed, for starters). Don Graham has written GIANT, the definitive account of the making of the movie and we’re asking him about it on this week's episode. And our editors tell us which new books they th...
Gayle Forman and Michael Benson
April 03, 2018 06:00 - 59 minutes - 24.9 MBA trio of struggling teens meets by chance in Central Park and becomes everything to one another in bestseller Gayle Forman's new YA novel, I HAVE LOST MY WAY. We catch up with Forman in this week’s episode and also see what it was like for Michael Benson to write the definitive account of the making of the film 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY. Benson's new book is titled SPACE ODYSSEY and it’s fascinating. And our editors reveal which books they think you ought to dig into this week!
Daniel Ziblatt and Dr. Daniela J. Lamas
March 27, 2018 06:00 - 58 minutes - 24.7 MBWith a title like HOW DEMOCRACIES DIE, you’d be forgiven if you assumed the book is a dire read. The nationally bestselling book actually has some hope in it; we ask the book’s co-author, Daniel Ziblatt, about the state of American democracy in this week’s episode. We also ask Dr. Daniela J. Lamas about the research she did to write YOU CAN STOP HUMMING NOW: A DOCTOR’S STORIES OF LIFE, DEATH AND LIFE IN BETWEEN. And our editors share their insights about the best new books to read!
Alan Hollinghurst and Laurie Kilmartin
March 20, 2018 06:00 - 54 minutes - 23.2 MBAlan Hollinghurst's new novel, THE SPARSHOLT AFFAIR, is about a young gay man growing up as his father is involved in a major sex scandal in Great Britain in the late Sixties. This week, we ask the Booker Prize winner about the novel and his career. We also catch up with comedy writer Laurie Kilmartin about her irreverent, thoughtful new book, DEAD PEOPLE SUCK: A GUIDE FOR SURVIVORS OF THE NEWLY DEPARTED. And our editors tell you which new bestsellers are worth your time!
Jorge Ramos and Shannon Hitchcock
March 13, 2018 06:00 - 51 minutes - 21.1 MBUnivision anchor Jorge Ramos famously got into a tussle with Donald Trump when he was a candidate for the presidency; his new book, STRANGER, reveals what happened after that incident and explains Ramos' point that immigrants make America a better, not worse, place. We also ask Shannon Hitchcock why she set her new middle-grade novel, ONE TRUE WAY, in 1977 North Carolina as two seventh-grade girls fall for one another. And we talk to our editors about which bestsellers are worth your reading ...
Dhonielle Clayton and Elizabeth Crook
March 06, 2018 08:00 - 27.8 MBDhonielle Clayton's new YA novel THE BELLES, which Kirkus gave a starred review to, is on the New York Times bestseller list, but that’s not the only reason to celebrate Clayton: she’s also a co-founder of We Need Diverse Books and has been holding publishers accountable for publishing more diverse writers. We also check in with historical novelist Elizabeth Crook, whose new novel THE WHICH WAY TREE is a gripping, fascinating story set in Civil War-era Texas. And our editors reveal which best...
Jason Matthews and Danielle Lazarin
February 27, 2018 08:00 - 58 minutes - 25 MBJason Matthews is a former CIA agent whose writing career has turned out pretty spectacularly: his debut thriller, RED SPARROW, will be a movie starring Jennifer Lawrence and Joel Edgerton released on March 2. The latest novel in his bestselling RED SPARROW trilogy, THE KREMLIN'S CANDIDATE, is timely and thrilling. We also check in with Danielle Lazarin, whose debut collection of stories, BACK TALK, our critic calls "sensitive, intricate, and quietly powerful;" her stories give voice to women...
Tayari Jones and Mark Updegrove
February 20, 2018 09:00 - 1 hour - 25.6 MBTayari Jones's new novel, AN AMERICAN MARRIAGE, was recently chosen by Oprah for her book club and is No. 2 on the New York Times bestseller list. The novel is, at its heart, a love story, but a love story warped by racial injustice. We also catch up with presidential historian Mark Updegrove, whose latest book, THE LAST REPUBLICANS, broke news recently for divulging that both Bush presidents didn't vote for Donald Trump. And our editors reveal which bestsellers are worth your reading time!
Neal Shusterman and Francisco Cantu
February 13, 2018 09:00 - 51 minutes - 21.1 MBYoung adult writer Neal Shusterman isn’t just a bestseller; he's also won the National Book Award. His new novel, THUNDERHEAD, is, our critic says, an "intelligent and entertaining blend of dark humor and high death tolls." We ask him about it on this week’s episode. Francisco Cantú is being praised for his debut memoir, THE LINE BECOMES A RIVER; a former Border Patrol agent, Cantú writes beautifully about what's really happening on the U.S.-Mexico border. And our editors reveal which bestsel...
Kristin Hannah and Joseph Cassara
February 06, 2018 09:00 - 50 minutes - 21.5 MBThis week, we catch up with Kristin Hannah, author of the international bestseller THE NIGHTINGALE. Her new novel, THE GREAT ALONE, is a nail-biter about a trouble Vietnam vet who takes his family to rural Alaska to live off the land as they encounter harsh winters, hungry animals, and the vet's increasingly paranoid mind. Megan talks to debut novelist Joseph Cassara, whose novel THE HOUSE OF IMPOSSIBLE BEAUTIES, set in queer Harlem in the 1980s, our reviewer calls "fierce, tender, and heartb...
Bryan Mealer and Jessica Fellowes
January 30, 2018 09:00 - 55 minutes - 24 MBThis week, we talk to bestseller Bryan Mealer, whose new memoir, THE KINGS OF BIG SPRING, is an affecting account of his family's life in the tumultuous, wild oil industry of West Texas. And Downton Abbey fans will want to check out our interview with Jessica Fellowes, the niece of Downton Abbey's creator; the first in her new series of mysteries, THE MITFORD MURDERS, is just out now. Our editors then join us for their thoughts about which bestselling books are worth your time!
David Frum and Sarah Vaughn
January 23, 2018 09:00 - 1 hour - 25.8 MBThis week, we catch up with David Frum, a prominent conservative writer who’s not a fan of the current administration in the White House; his new book is titled TRUMPOCRACY. We also talk to Sarah Vaughn, whose new novel, ANATOMY OF A SCANDAL, is about a handsome British politician—also the prime minister’s oldest, closest friend—who finds himself on trial for rape. And our editors let you know about the best bets for new, excellent books out this week!
Robert Harris and Leni Zumas
January 16, 2018 09:00 - 57 minutes - 23.9 MBRobert Harris is one of the most revered historical novelists writing today. His new novel, MUNICH, is about old friends who reunite in hopes of derailing Hitler’s war machine. The author of POMPEII and numerous other bestsellers, Harris joins us on the podcast this week. We also talk to Leni Zumas, whose novel RED CLOCKS is about the lives of five women in a small Oregon town who are affected by the outlawing of abortion and an imminent ban on single parenthood. And our editors share their t...
A.J. Finn and Christopher J. Yates
January 09, 2018 09:00 - 56 minutes - 23.6 MBDebut writer A.J. Finn's thriller THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW has been sold in 37 countries and Fox 2000 picked up the film rights. The story of an agoraphobic woman who swears she sees a violent act in the brownstone across from hers in Manhattan, the novel is rife with references to classic films and "crackles with tension," our reviewer says. Violence also is at the heart of Christopher J. Yates' psychological thriller, GRIST MILL ROAD, which our reviewer writes in a starred review is, "mesmer...
James Lee Burke, Irene Latham and Charles Waters
January 02, 2018 09:00 - 1 hour - 28.3 MBBestseller James Lee Burke is one of America's most beloved crime writers, with 36 novels and two short story collections to his name. The latest novel in his Dave Robicheaux series, ROBICHEAUX, is "another 15 rounds of high-fatality crime, alcohol-soaked ruminations, and heaven-storming prose," according to our reviewer. And the authors of CAN I TOUCH YOUR HAIR? POEMS OF RACE, MISTAKES AND FRIENDSHIP, Irene Latham and Charles Waters, both join the podcast to talk about their unique collabora...
Kirkus Prize Panel at the Texas Book Festival
December 26, 2017 09:00 - 53 minutes - 22.5 MBEarlier this fall, Kirkus Reviews announced the 18 finalists of the 2017 Kirkus Prize. The three winners of the Prize each received $50,000 in November. Five of the finalists attended the Kirkus Prize panel at the Texas Book Festival: Jack E. Davis (THE GULF); Karen English (IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS); Patricia Lockwood (PRIESTDADDY): Madeleine Stratford (ME TALL, YOU SMALL); and Laura Dassow Walls (HENRY DAVID THOREAU: A LIFE). In this episode, we hear from these excellent writers as they ta...
Ladee Hubbard and Julie Buntin
December 19, 2017 09:00 - 56 minutes - 23.7 MBThis week, we put a spotlight on some of the most (unfairly!) overlooked books of 2017, books we think deserve your attention. We talk to Ladee Hubbard about her sharp, insightful novel about a family with peculiar superpowers, THE TALENTED RIBKINS. Julie Buntin also joins the podcast to talk about her novel, MARLENA, which our reviewer calls "as unforgettable as it is gorgeous." And our editors weigh in with some of their favorite overlooked books of the year.
Scott Eyman and Ivy Pochoda
December 12, 2017 09:00 - 1 hour - 27.4 MBThis week, we talk to bestselling film historian Scott Eyman, whose new book, HANK & JIM, is about the 50-year friendship of actors Henry Fonda and James Stewart. We also ask Ivy Pochoda about her latest novel, WONDER VALLEY. And our editors let you know which bestselling books are worth your time and which you might want to avoid!
Paul Kix and Fiona Mozley
December 05, 2017 09:00 - 58 minutes - 24.8 MBThis week, we interview Paul Kix, a debut writer whose new nonfiction book THE SABOTEUR is one of the most thrilling nonfiction reads of 2017. It’s about French aristocrat Robert de la Rochefoucauld, who could’ve sat through World War II but instead became a resistance commando sabotaging the Nazis. And we also catch up with British novelist Fiona Mozley, whose new novel ELMET was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. Lastly, our editors divulge their picks for bestsellers they think you ought to...
LIVE at the Texas Book Festival
November 28, 2017 09:00 - 1 hour - 27.1 MBWelcome to the Texas Book Festival episode of Fully Booked! The Texas Book Festival is one of the nation’s largest and oldest book festivals and the Fully Booked crew had a lot of fun there a few weeks ago. In this episode, you’ll first hear the interview Kirkus editor Clay Smith did with Walter Isaacson in the House Chamber of the Texas State Capitol during the Festival. Isaacson is the author of the number one New York Times bestselling new bio of Leonardo da Vinci. Then Megan sits down wit...
Anne Rice, Christoper Rice and Joan Silber
November 21, 2017 09:00 - 59 minutes - 25.5 MBYou know who Anne Rice is and that her son Christopher Rice is a bestselling novelist too. But they've never collaborated together until this week, when they publish RAMSES THE DAMNED: THE PASSION OF CLEOPATRA, the sequel to THE MUMMY (1989). We catch with both of them during this episode. And Joan Silber's brand-new novel IMPROVEMENT has critics raving, including this starred review from our critic: "There is something so refreshing and genuine about this book." She tells us about creating ...
Matthew Weiner and Juli Berwald
November 14, 2017 09:01 - 58 minutes - 24.4 MBIn this weeks episode, we ask MAD MEN creator Matthew Weiner about entering the world of publishing as he debuts his first novel, HEATHER, THE TOTALITY, in which the difficulties created for a Manhattan family by the renovation of the apartment upstairs include a homicidal stalker. And science writer Juli Berwald joins us to talk about SPINELESS, her fascinating new book about jellyfish (and what its like to grow a spine while studying animals who don't have one). And our editors talk about t...
Peter Wohlleben and Anne Fadiman
November 07, 2017 09:01 - 1 hour - 24.8 MBWe gave a rare starred review to Peter Wohlleben's new book THE INNER LIFE OF ANIMALS Wohlleben is also the author of the bestselling book, THE HIDDEN LIFE OF TREES. Wohlleben joins us from Germany to answer our questions about the emotional lives on animals and how we are treating them well or wrongly. And we also catch up with Anne Fadiman, whose new memoir, THE WINE LOVER'S DAUGHTER, is "not unlike imbibing several equally felicitous glasses of wine, their salutary effects leaving one plea...
Joe Hill and Lindsey Fitzharris
October 31, 2017 08:01 - 58 minutes - 24.5 MBHappy Halloween! Joe Hill, the best-selling author of the long novel THE FIREMAN, has a new book of four creepy novellas, STRANGE WEATHER, that each feature some decidedly hostile, freaky weather incidents. We catch up with Hill in this week's episode. But how about some real-world horror? We ask Lindsey Fitzharris about her new nonfiction book of medical history, THE BUTCHERING ART: JOSEPH LISTER'S QUEST TO TRANSFORM THE GRISLY WORLD OF VICTORIAN MEDICINE. And our editors recommend three spo...
Deanne Stillman and Caitlin Doughty
October 24, 2017 08:01 - 52 minutes - 21.7 MBWait, what? The great Lakota chief Sitting Bull and the force behind the famous Wild West show, Buffalo Bill (who also slaughtered Native Americans), were friends? In this week's episode, we talk to one of America's most insightful writers about the West, Deanne Stillman, whose book BLOOD BROTHERS: THE STRANGE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN SITTING BULL AND BUFFALO BILL, is just out this week. Then we talk with death expert (your heard us right), Caitlin Doughty, as we ask her about FROM HERE TO ETERNITY...
Scott Kelly and Khizr Khan
October 17, 2017 08:01 - 1 hour - 25.4 MBScott Kelly is the American who has spent the longest amount of time in space and this week, he's on Fully Booked talking about what life up there is like and about writing his new memoir, ENDURANCE. We talk to another American hero, Khizr Khan, whose new book, AN AMERICAN FAMILY, offers insight into what it was like for Khan to become a star at the Democratic National Convention. And our editors stop by to give you their thoughts about this week's bestsellers!
Roz Chast and Carmen Maria Machado
October 10, 2017 08:01 - 58 minutes - 25.2 MBThis week, we check in with beloved New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast, whose new book of cartoons, GOING INTO TOWN, is a funny, and even practical, love letter to New York City. Carmen Maria Machado's entrance to the world of books may be the dramatic of the year: her debut short story collection, HER BODY AND OTHER PARTIES, is a finalist for the 2017 Kirkus Prize and a finalist for the National Book Award. We ask her about it all in this episode. And our editors pipe up with their thoughts abo...
Celeste Ng LIVE from BookPeople
October 03, 2017 08:01 - 1 hour - 26 MBThis week's episode is a special live taping of Celeste Ng's recent event at BookPeople in Austin, Texas. Ng's new novel, LITTLE FIRES EVERYWHERE, has just hit the New York Times bestseller list and is hard to put down. "As in EVERYTHING I NEVER TOLD YOU, Ng conjures a sense of place and displacement and shows a remarkable ability to see -- and reveal -- a story from different perspectives," our critic writes in a starred review. We also check in with a few of BookPeople's booksellers about w...
James McBride and Attica Locke
September 26, 2017 08:01 - 1 hour - 25.6 MBDoes a writer have a duty to be moral? And what happens when a writer tries to be wise? We talk to National Book Award-winning writer James McBride on this week's episode about his new story collection, FIVE-CARAT SOUL, and those vexing questions. And were also joined by Attica Locke, whose new thriller, BLUEBIRD, BLUEBIRD, is a "deftly-plotted whodunit" according to our reviewer in a starred review. And our editors talk about the newly named 2017 Kirkus Prize finalists!
Kurt Andersen and Rene Denfeld
September 19, 2017 08:01 - 1 hour - 27.3 MBWhen did Americans come to shun reality? If your answer is "recently," Kurt Andersen, the author of the entertaining book FANTASYLAND: HOW AMERICA WENT HAYWIRE: A 500-YEAR HISTORY, wants you to reconsider. We delve into the book in this week's episode. We also talk to Rene Denfeld, author of the new novel, THE CHILD FINDER, in which a gifted investigator combs Oregon's snowy mountain forests for a missing girl. And our editors reveal which bestsellers this week they think you ought to try out!
Daniel Mendelsohn and Eleanor Henderson
September 12, 2017 08:01 - 1 hour - 30.7 MBWe travel to ancient Greece in this week's episode with Daniel Mendelsohn, author of AN ODYSSEY: A FATHER, A SON, AND AN EPIC, in which Mendelsohn's 81-year-old father asks to sit in on the seminar about THE ODYSSEY his son is teaching (complications ensue). We also catch up with Eleanor Henderson, whose new novel, THE TWELVE-MILE STRAIGHT, is an ambitious novel set in the South in 1930. And our editors check in with their latest recommendations!
Salman Rushdie and John Freeman
September 05, 2017 08:01 - 58 minutes - 24.3 MBSalman Rushdie joins us this week on Fully Booked to talk about his new novel, THE GOLDEN HOUSE, a sort of GREAT GATSBY for our time: everyone is implicated, no one is innocent, and no one comes out unscathed, no matter how well padded with cash, as our reviewer puts it in a starred review. And if the widening gap between rich and poor in America concerns you, check out our interview with John Freeman, the editor of TALES OF TWO AMERICAS. Lastly, our editors weigh in with their recs for some ...
Cherise Wolas
August 29, 2017 08:01 - 31 minutes - 12.3 MBThis week, we talk to debut novelist Cherise Wolas about THE RESURRECTION OF JOAN ASHBY. "Can you be a mother and also be an artist -- or, by extension, pursue any serious ambition at all?" our reviewer asks in our starred review of the novel. "This is the question taken up with urgency and all due complexity in lawyer and film producer Wolas' debut novel." And our editors speak up with their recommendations of what to read, and what to skip!
Gabrielle Zevin and F.C. Yee
August 22, 2017 08:01 - 55 minutes - 23.5 MBGabrielle Zevin is best-known for her bestseller from a few years ago, THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY; today we ask her about her new novel, YOUNG JANE YOUNG, which is funny, insightful, and a real pleasure to read. We also catch up with debut YA writer F.C. Yee, whose humorous debut novel, THE EPIC CRUSH OF GENIE LO, is just out. And our editors pipe up with their suggestions of which bestsellers to read and which to avoid!
Linda Castillo and Ayobami Adebayo
August 15, 2017 08:01 - 52 minutes - 21.7 MBWho knows more about the Amish than almost anyone? A bestselling thriller writer who lives in Amarillo, Texas named Linda Castillo. This episode, we ask Castillo about the latest in her Kate Burkholder series, DOWN A DARK ROAD. Debut novelist Ayobami Adebayo also joins us to talk about her affecting novel, STAY WITH ME. And children's-teen editor Vicky Smith takes the stage to highlight an excellent new novel and one you can safely avoid.