NBN Book of the Day

NBN Book of the Day

episodes

One book selected daily from those published on the New Books Network.

William Stell, "Born Again Queer: A History of Evangelical Gay Activism and the Making of Antigay Christianity" (Princeton UP, 2026)

May 5, 2026

Born Again Queer

William Stell
Hosted by Jacob Barrett

Evangelicals claim that their opposition to homosexuality is an inherent feature of their faith, rooted in their unchanging beliefs about the Bible. M…

Nicholas Thompson, "The Running Ground: A Father, a Son, and the Simplest of Sports" (Random House, 2025)

May 4, 2026

The Running Ground

Nicholas Thompson

In this episode, Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, and University of Puerto Rico professors Jeffrey Herlihy-Mera and Maritza Stanchich, discuss …

Michelle P. Brown, "Illumino: A History of Medieval Britain in Twelve Illuminated Manuscripts" (Reaktion, 2025)

May 3, 2026

Illumino

Michelle P. Brown

The history of medieval Britain through twelve remarkable illuminated manuscripts. Illumino: A History of Medieval Britain in Twelve Illuminated Manu…

Katie Batza, "AIDS in the Heartland: How Unlikely Coalitions Created a Blueprint for LGBTQ Politics" (UNC Press, 2025)

May 2, 2026

AIDS in the Heartland

Katie Batza
Hosted by Donna Anderson

This episode features a conversation with Dr. Katie Batza on their recently published book, AIDS in the Heartland: How Unlikely Coalitions Created a B…

Caroline Kuzemko, "Climate Politics: Can't Live with It, Can't Mitigate without It" (Cambridge UP, 2026)

May 1, 2026

Climate Politics

Caroline Kuzemko
Hosted by Stephen Pimpare

By exploring the dynamic relationships between politics, policymaking, and policy over time, Climate Politics: Can't Live with It, Can't Mitigate with…

Samira K. Mehta, "God Bless the Pill: The Surprising History of Contraception and Sexuality in American Religion" (UNC Press, 2026)

April 30, 2026

God Bless the Pill

Samira K. Mehta
Hosted by Miranda Melcher

Most people today understand contraception as central to women’s liberation, and when the birth control pill arrived in 1960, the media thought it wou…

Elena Foulis, "Embodied Encuentros: Oral History Archives of Latina/o/e Experiences" (Ohio State UP, 2026)

April 29, 2026

Embodied Encuentros

Elena Foulis
Hosted by Brad Wright

In Embodied Encuentros: Oral History Archives of Latina/o/e Experiences (Ohio State UP, 2026), Elena Foulis offers a practical guide for completing et…

Trevor Jackson, "The Insatiable Machine: How Capitalism Conquered the World" (Norton, 2026)

April 28, 2026

The Insatiable Machine

Trevor Jackson
Hosted by Steven Rodriguez

How did an economic system that was the result of largely uncoordinated and unplanned individual decisions come to dominate our modern world? This is …

A Shakeup Is Coming for the Nation-State: A Conversation with Stephen Sims

April 27, 2026

A Shakeup Is Coming for the Nation-State

Stephen Sims
Hosted by Gregory McNiff

Stephen Sims’ New Atlantis essay examines how emerging technologies are reshaping the structure and authority of the modern nation-state. He argues th…

Oil and Militancy in Nigeria: A Conversation with Noo Saro-Wiwa

April 26, 2026

The Burning Ground

Noo Saro-Wiwa
Hosted by Ayisha Osori

Noo Saro-Wiwa is an author and journalist. Born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and raised in England, she attended King's College London and Columbia Univ…

Roland Betancourt, "Disneyland and the Rise of Automation: How Technology Created the Happiest Place on Earth" (Princeton UP, 2026)

April 23, 2026

Disneyland and the Rise of Automation

Roland Betancourt
Hosted by Miranda Melcher

When Disneyland opened to the public in 1955, it demystified the hidden world of factory automation through its extraordinary new attractions. In Disn…

The Crisis of American Political Economy: On the New Conservative Policy Agenda with Chris Griswold

April 22, 2026

The Crisis of American Political Economy

Chris Griswold
Hosted by Ryan Shinkel

In this sixth episode of Season 5, I interview Mr. Chris Griswold. An alum of Wheaton College and Princeton Theological Seminary, he was formerly a se…

Jim Downs, "Maladies of Empire: How Colonialism, Slavery, and War Transformed Medicine" (Harvard UP, 2023)

April 21, 2026

Maladies of Empire

Jim Downs
Hosted by Laura Stark

Jim Downs’ most recent book is Maladies of Empire: How Colonialism, Slavery, and War Transformed Medicine. Professor Downs is the Gilder Lehrman-Natio…

Eileen G'Sell, "Lipstick" (Bloomsbury, 2026)

April 20, 2026

Lipstick

Eileen G'Sell
Hosted by Miranda Melcher

From Revlon to Glossier, from Marilyn to Gaga, lipstick is as shape-shifting and unwieldy as femininity itself. Who wears lipstick today – as a mat…

Miranda Banks and Kate Fortmueller, "Boom to Bust: How Streaming Broke Hollywood Workers" (U California Press, 2026)

April 19, 2026

Boom to Bust

Miranda Banks and Kate Fortmueller
Hosted by Pete Kunze

Boom to Bust is a timely investigation into the rise of Peak TV and the perfect storm that caused a rapid decline in Hollywood work. When Hollywood w…

Emely Rumble, "Bibliotherapy in The Bronx" (Row House, 2025)

April 18, 2026

Bibliotherapy in the Bronx

Emely Rumble
Hosted by Raymond Williams

Bibliotherapy in The Bronx (Row House, 2025) by Emely Rumble, LCSW, is a groundbreaking exploration of the healing power of literature in the lives of…

Lewis Sage-Passant, "Beyond States and Spies: The Security Intelligence Services of the Private Sector" (Edinburgh UP, 2024)

April 17, 2026

Beyond States and Spies

Lewis Sage-Passant
Hosted by Miranda Melcher

Scholars have long viewed intelligence as the preserve of nation states. Where the term ‘private sector intelligence’ is used, the focus has been over…

Alisa Kessel, "Rape Fantasies: Rape Culture and the Persistence of Sexual Violence" (Oxford UP, 2025)

April 16, 2026

Rape Fantasies

Alisa Kessel

Political theorist Alisa Kessel (University of Puget Sound) has an important and impressive new book, Rape Fantasies: Rape Culture and the Persistence…

Keith Cooper, "Amazing Worlds of Science Fiction and Science Fact" (Reaktion, 2025)

April 15, 2026

Amazing Worlds of Science Fiction and Science Fact

Keith Cooper
Hosted by Miranda Melcher

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to watch a double sunset on Tatooine, stand among the sand dunes of Arrakis or gaze at the gas-giant plan…

Daphne A. Brooks, "Blackstar Rising and the Purple Reign: The Sonic Afterlives of David Bowie and Prince" (Duke UP, 2026)

April 14, 2026

Blackstar Rising and the Purple Reign

Daphne A. Brooks
Hosted by Rebekah Buchanan

Blackstar Rising and the Purple Reign: The Sonic Afterlives of David Bowie and Prince (Duke UP, 2026) is the first critical anthology dedicated to exp…