New Books Network Podcast

Asian Review of Books December 8, 2022

The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories

Jamil Jan Kochai

Hosted by Nicholas Gordon

The first story in Jamil Jan Kochai’s newest collection has an interesting title and premise. “Playing Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain” leads The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and …

Historical Fiction December 8, 2022

The American Adventuress

A Novel

C. W. Gortner

Hosted by C. P. Lesley

From Lucrezia Borgia to Marlene Dietrich, Empress Marie Fyodorovna of Russia, and most recently the actress Sarah Bernhardt, C. W. Gortner has made a career out of finding strong, fascinating, real-life …

Literature December 6, 2022

The Dead Won't Tell

S. K. Waters

Hosted by G. P. Gottlieb

In The Dead Won't Tell (Camcat Books, 2022), Abbie Adams is hired to write an article about an unsolved murder that took place in a small southern college town on …

Burned by Books December 6, 2022

If I Survive You

Jonathan Escoffery

Hosted by Chris Holmes

Jonathan Escoffery is the author of the linked story collection, If I Survive You, a New York Times Editor’s Choice and an Indie National Bestseller. If I Survive You was …

Burned by Books December 2, 2022

They're Going to Love You

A Novel

Meg Howrey

Hosted by Chris Holmes

Meg Howrey is the author of the novels They're Going to Love You, The Cranes Dance, and Blind Sight. She is also the coauthor, writing under the pen-name Magnus Flyte …

Russian and Eurasian Studies December 2, 2022

Amanat

Women's Writing from Kazakhstan

Zaure Batayeva and Shelley Fairweather-Vega

Hosted by Agathe Guy

A man is arrested for a single typo, a woman gets on buses at random, and two friends reunite in a changed world.... Diverse in form, scope and style, Amanat …

Science Fiction December 1, 2022

Leech

Hiron Ennes

Hosted by Brenda Noiseux

“Soft sci-fi, gothic body horror” is how Hiron Ennes describes their debut novel, Leech (Tordotcom, 2022). But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Set in an isolated winter chateau …

Literature November 29, 2022

We Are All Together

Richard Fulco

Hosted by G. P. Gottlieb

Today I talked to Richard Fulco about his novel We Are All Together (Wampus Multimedia, 2022). Stephen Cane is a guitarist – he’s already walked out on one band to …

Burned by Books November 28, 2022

Math for the Self-Crippling

Ursula Villarreal-Moura

Hosted by Chris Holmes

Ursula Villarreal-Moura is the author of Math for the Self-Crippling (2022), selected by Zinzi Clemmons as the Gold Line Press fiction contest winner, and Like Happiness (forthcoming with Celadon Books) …

Biography November 28, 2022

Missing

Cornelia Spelman

Hosted by Rebekah Buchanan

In her new memoir, Missing (Jackleg Press, 2022), children's book author Cornelia Maude Spelman explores her family history and her mother's life. Spelman was encouraged by her friend, the late, legendary New Yorker editor …

Literature November 24, 2022

Bottled Lightning

L. M. Weeks

Hosted by Deidre Tyler

Today I talked to L. M. Weeks about his new book Bottled Lightning (South Fork Publishers, 2022) Top global technology lawyer Tornait "Torn" Sagara knows he shouldn't get involved with his …

Literature November 24, 2022

The Cage

Fida Jiryis

Hosted by Yakir Englander

Ha-Kluv (The Cage) is a Hebrew anthology of selected short stories by Fida Jiryis, which she originally published in Arabic. The stories speak of the life of Palestinians in Israel …

Literature November 22, 2022

Hysterical

A Memoir

Elissa Bassist

Hosted by G. P. Gottlieb

Today I talked to Elissa Bassist about her memoir Hysterical: A Memoir (Hachette, 2022) For two years author Elissa Bassist saw over twenty medical specialists for pain that none of them …

Historical Fiction November 21, 2022

The Winter Garden

Nicola Cornick

Hosted by C. P. Lesley

In her novels, Nicola Cornick blends a modern perspective with a historical mystery and a paranormal connection between the two. The Winter Garden (Graydon House Books, 2022) revolves around the …

Burned by Books November 21, 2022

The Means

A Novel

Amy Fusselman

Hosted by Chris Holmes

Amy Fusselman is the author of five books. Her latest, The Means (Mariner Books, 2022), is her first novel. Fusselman’s previous four books, all nonfiction, have been translated into several languages …

Grinnell College: Authors and Artists November 21, 2022

All the Comfort Sin Can Provide

Grant Faulkner

Hosted by Marshall Poe

Today I had the pleasure of talking to Grant Faulkner. We discuss National Novel Writing Month, of which Grant is the executive director, 100 Word Story, of which Grant is …

Burned by Books November 18, 2022

Flight

A Novel

Lynn Steger Strong

Hosted by Chris Holmes

Lynn Steger Strong is the author of the novels Hold Still, Want, and Flight (Mariner Books, 2022). Her non-fiction has appeared in The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, New …

The Common Magazine November 18, 2022

Tsunami Bride

The Common magazine (Fall, 2022)

Sindya Bhanoo

Hosted by Emily Everett

Sindya Bhanoo speaks to managing editor Emily Everett about her story “Tsunami Bride,” which appears in The Common’s new fall issue. Sindya talks about her experience reporting from India after …

Animal Studies November 18, 2022

The Animals in that Country

Laura Jean McKay

Hosted by Kyle Johannsen

In this episode, I talk to Dr. Laura Jean McKay about her award-winning novel The Animals in that Country (Scribe US, 2020). Hard-drinking, foul-mouthed, and allergic to bullshit, Jean is …

Novel Dialogue November 17, 2022

Translation is the Closest Way to Read

A Discussion with Ann Goldstein and Saskia Ziolkowski

Ann Goldstein and Saskia Ziolkowski

Hosted by Novel Dialogue

In our season finale, Ann Goldstein, renowned translator of Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan novels, gives a master class in the art and business of translation. Ann speaks to Duke scholar Saskia …