Fresh Air
Book Recommendations

Fresh Air

Fresh Air from WHYY, the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues, is one of public radio's most popular programs. Hosted by Terry Gross and Tonya Mosley, the show features intimate conversations with today's biggest luminaries. Subscribe to Fresh Air Plus! You'll enjoy...

Episodes 879
Books 1,286
The Project: How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America Cover

David A. Graham

The Project

How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America

Graham was identified as the author of a book titled The Project, How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America, cited as part of his body of work.

"

He's also the author of The Project, How Project 2025 is Reshaping America.

— Episode: Trump's Options To Subvert The 2026 Midt...

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Episode: Trump's Options To Subvert The 2026 Midterms

Graham was identified as the author of a book titled The Project, How Project 2025 Is Reshaping America, cited as part of his body of work.

"

He's also the author of The Project, How Project 2025 is Reshaping America.

All Her Fault: The breathlessly twisty Sunday Times bestseller everyone is talking about Cover

Andrea Mara

All Her Fault

The breathlessly twisty Sunday Times bestseller everyone is talking about

The novel was cited as the source material for the new Peacock miniseries starring Sarah Snook. It was highlighted as the basis for the thriller adaptation.

"

All Her Fault, the new Peacock miniseries starring Sarah Snook. ... based on a novel by Andrea Mara.

— Episode: Misty Copeland Begins A New Chapter

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Episode: Misty Copeland Begins A New Chapter

The novel was cited as the source material for the new Peacock miniseries starring Sarah Snook. It was highlighted as the basis for the thriller adaptation.

"

All Her Fault, the new Peacock miniseries starring Sarah Snook. ... based on a novel by Andrea Mara.

Megan Gallagher, who created and wrote the TV adaptation of Andrea Mara's novel, ramps the tension to a fever pitch at the very beginning.

The title All Her Fault turns out to be relative, depending upon which her in the story is being blamed. Because eventually, all of them are.

Injustice: How Politics and Fear Vanquished America's Justice Department Cover

Carol Leonnig

Injustice

How Politics and Fear Vanquished America's Justice Department

The book examined how politics and fear undermined the U.S. Justice Department during the Trump and early Biden years, detailing internal cautions, missed investigations, and the department's struggle to bring cases to trial.

"

Lending and Davis' new book is Injustice, How Politics and Fear Vanquished America's Justice Department.

— Episode: The Undoing Of The Department Of Justice

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Episode: The Undoing Of The Department Of Justice

The book examined how politics and fear undermined the U.S. Justice Department during the Trump and early Biden years, detailing internal cautions, missed investigations, and the department's struggle to bring cases to trial.

"

Lending and Davis' new book is Injustice, How Politics and Fear Vanquished America's Justice Department.

Their new book is Injustice, How Politics and Fear Vanquished America's Justice Department.

Their new book is Injustice, How Politics and Fear Vanquished America's Justice Department.

We are speaking with Carol Linnig and Aaron Davis, two investigative reporters. Their new book is Injustice, How Politics and Fear Vanquished America's Justice Department.

Writers & Lovers: A Novel Cover

Lily King

Writers & Lovers

A Novel

The book was referenced as the earlier novel to which Heart the Lover serves as a prequel and sequel, and it was noted as a 2020 bestoftheyear selection.

"

Heart the Lover is both a prequel and a sequel to King's novel, Writers and Lovers, which made my best-of-the-year list in 2020.

— Episode: Richard Linklater: 'Filmmaking Is Proble...

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Episode: Richard Linklater: 'Filmmaking Is Problem Solving'

The book was referenced as the earlier novel to which Heart the Lover serves as a prequel and sequel, and it was noted as a 2020 bestoftheyear selection.

"

Heart the Lover is both a prequel and a sequel to King's novel, Writers and Lovers, which made my best-of-the-year list in 2020.

Injustice: How Politics and Fear Vanquished America's Justice Department Cover

Carol Leonnig

Injustice

How Politics and Fear Vanquished America's Justice Department

Terry Gross announced that investigative reporters CarolLennig and AaronDavis, the authors of the new book Injustice, will discuss the Justice Department's investigations into the 2020 election and document retention.

"

Investigative reporters Carol Lennig and Aaron Davis, authors of the new book Injustice, will give us an inside look at the department's investigations.

— Episode: Richard Linklater: 'Filmmaking Is Proble...

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Episode: Richard Linklater: 'Filmmaking Is Problem Solving'

Terry Gross announced that investigative reporters CarolLennig and AaronDavis, the authors of the new book Injustice, will discuss the Justice Department's investigations into the 2020 election and document retention.

"

Investigative reporters Carol Lennig and Aaron Davis, authors of the new book Injustice, will give us an inside look at the department's investigations.

Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President Cover

Candice Millard

Destiny of the Republic

A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President

Michael Shannon said the project started with Candace Millard's book and urged listeners to read it because it was captivating, informative, and illuminating.

"

Well, it started with Candace's book, Destiny of the Republic. Candace Millard. Yeah, she's been on our show. Terrific historian. And for anybody who watches the program and gets a ki...

— Episode: Best Of: Michael Shannon / ‘Pluribus’ St...

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Episode: Best Of: Michael Shannon / ‘Pluribus’ Star Rhea Se...

Michael Shannon said the project started with Candace Millard's book and urged listeners to read it because it was captivating, informative, and illuminating.

"

Well, it started with Candace's book, Destiny of the Republic. Candace Millard. Yeah, she's been on our show. Terrific historian. And for anybody who watches the program and gets a kick out of it, I highly suggest you read the book if you haven't already, because it's very captivating and very informative and illuminating.

The Antidote Cover

A.W. Baldwin

The Antidote

Maureen Corrigan highlighted the novel as her pick for novel of the year, describing it as an epic story of immigration, land grabs, and aspiration set in Nebraska.

"

Karen Russell's long-awaited second novel The Antidote is my pick for novel of the year. An epic story of immigration, land grabs, and aspiration. The Antidote is set...

— Episode: Best Of: Michael Shannon / ‘Pluribus’ St...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Best Of: Michael Shannon / ‘Pluribus’ Star Rhea Se...

Maureen Corrigan highlighted the novel as her pick for novel of the year, describing it as an epic story of immigration, land grabs, and aspiration set in Nebraska.

"

Karen Russell's long-awaited second novel The Antidote is my pick for novel of the year. An epic story of immigration, land grabs, and aspiration. The Antidote is set in Nebraska and framed by two actual weather catastrophes.

A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck Cover

Sophie Elmhirst

A Marriage at Sea

A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck

Maureen Corrigan called it a part extreme adventure tale, part meditation on marriage, recounting the 1972 ordeal of a couple adrift after a whale damaged their sloop.

"

My final best book pick is A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhurst, which is part extreme adventure tale, part meditation on marriage. In 1972, Morris and Marilyn Bailey spent four month...

— Episode: Best Of: Michael Shannon / ‘Pluribus’ St...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Best Of: Michael Shannon / ‘Pluribus’ Star Rhea Se...

Maureen Corrigan called it a part extreme adventure tale, part meditation on marriage, recounting the 1972 ordeal of a couple adrift after a whale damaged their sloop.

"

My final best book pick is A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhurst, which is part extreme adventure tale, part meditation on marriage. In 1972, Morris and Marilyn Bailey spent four months adrift in the middle of the Pacific after a whale knocked a hole in their wooden sloop.

Writers & Lovers: A Novel Cover

Lily King

Writers & Lovers

A Novel

Maureen Corrigan mentioned it as Lily King's 2020 novel to which the companion novel "Heart the Lover" relates.

"

Heart the Lover is a companion novel to Lily King's 2020 novel, Writers and Lovers, but the structure of this followup is so ingenious that you don't have to have read the earlier book.

— Episode: Best Of: Michael Shannon / ‘Pluribus’ St...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Best Of: Michael Shannon / ‘Pluribus’ Star Rhea Se...

Maureen Corrigan mentioned it as Lily King's 2020 novel to which the companion novel "Heart the Lover" relates.

"

Heart the Lover is a companion novel to Lily King's 2020 novel, Writers and Lovers, but the structure of this followup is so ingenious that you don't have to have read the earlier book.

The Tao of Leadership: Lao Tzs's Tao Te Ching Adapted for a New Age Cover

John Heider

The Tao of Leadership

Lao Tzs's Tao Te Ching Adapted for a New Age

The same passage noted that Kobe was handed a Tao of Leadership book as part of his leadership development.

"

And he was like, well, you know, they're into hubcaps ... I started, you know, giving him books like the leadership books, the leadership of, you know, Winnie the Pooh and The Tao of Leadershi...

— Episode: A Courtside Look At NBA Legends, From Jo...

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Episode: A Courtside Look At NBA Legends, From Jordan To Ko...

The same passage noted that Kobe was handed a Tao of Leadership book as part of his leadership development.

"

And he was like, well, you know, they're into hubcaps ... I started, you know, giving him books like the leadership books, the leadership of, you know, Winnie the Pooh and The Tao of Leadership.

Masters of the Game: A Conversational History of the NBA in 75 Legendary Players Cover

Sam Smith

Masters of the Game

A Conversational History of the NBA in 75 Legendary Players

The book was introduced as a new release that shares untold stories and hardwon lessons from some of basketball's greatest players. It was mentioned toward the end of the episode as a preview for the next show.

"

Their new book, Masters of the Game, shares untold stories and hardwon lessons from some of the greatest players in basketball.

— Episode: Can The Lessons Of 1929 Prevent Another...

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Episode: Can The Lessons Of 1929 Prevent Another Crash?

The book was introduced as a new release that shares untold stories and hardwon lessons from some of basketball's greatest players. It was mentioned toward the end of the episode as a preview for the next show.

"

Their new book, Masters of the Game, shares untold stories and hardwon lessons from some of the greatest players in basketball.

Placeless: Homelessness in the New Gilded Age Cover

Patrick Markee

Placeless

Homelessness in the New Gilded Age

The book explored how policy choices and economic shifts created a wave of displacement that led to modern homelessness, focusing on New York City as a case study.

"

In his new book, Placeless, Homelessness in the New Gilded Age, he argues the surge in people living on the streets didn't happen overnight.

— Episode: Homelessness In The New Gilded Age

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Homelessness In The New Gilded Age

The book explored how policy choices and economic shifts created a wave of displacement that led to modern homelessness, focusing on New York City as a case study.

"

In his new book, Placeless, Homelessness in the New Gilded Age, he argues the surge in people living on the streets didn't happen overnight.

If you're just joining us, I'm talking with homelessness advocate Patrick Marquis about his new book Placeless, Homelessness and the New Gilded Age.

Patrick Marquis thank you so much for this book and thank you for talking with us.

The Antidote Cover

A.W. Baldwin

The Antidote

The novel was highlighted as the novel of the year, depicting an epic story of immigration, land grabs, and aspiration set in Nebraska against historic weather catastrophes.

"

Karen Russell's long-awaited second novel The Antidote is my pick for novel of the year an epic story of immigration land grabs and aspiration.

— Episode: Homelessness In The New Gilded Age

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Homelessness In The New Gilded Age

The novel was highlighted as the novel of the year, depicting an epic story of immigration, land grabs, and aspiration set in Nebraska against historic weather catastrophes.

"

Karen Russell's long-awaited second novel The Antidote is my pick for novel of the year an epic story of immigration land grabs and aspiration.

Dark Renaissance: The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare's Greatest Rival Cover

Stephen Greenblatt

Dark Renaissance

The Dangerous Times and Fatal Genius of Shakespeare's Greatest Rival

Greenblatt's work was highlighted for its erudition in bringing the English Renaissance to life.

"

Stephen Greenblatt's Dark Renaissance invokes the somewhat devilish figure of playwright Christopher Marlowe; I can think of nobody who brings the world of the English renaissance to...

— Episode: Homelessness In The New Gilded Age

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Homelessness In The New Gilded Age

Greenblatt's work was highlighted for its erudition in bringing the English Renaissance to life.

"

Stephen Greenblatt's Dark Renaissance invokes the somewhat devilish figure of playwright Christopher Marlowe; I can think of nobody who brings the world of the English renaissance to life with the verb and erudition of Greenblatt here.

Last Seen: The Enduring Search by Formerly Enslaved People to Find Their Lost Families Cover

Judith Giesberg

Last Seen

The Enduring Search by Formerly Enslaved People to Find Their Lost Families

The book examined a collection of runaway ads placed by formerly enslaved people, offering a deeper sense of the lived experience of slavery and its aftermath.

"

Judith Geisberg's arresting book also called Last Seen closely reads 10 of those ads giving readers a deeper sense of the lived experience of slavery and its aftermath.

— Episode: Homelessness In The New Gilded Age

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Homelessness In The New Gilded Age

The book examined a collection of runaway ads placed by formerly enslaved people, offering a deeper sense of the lived experience of slavery and its aftermath.

"

Judith Geisberg's arresting book also called Last Seen closely reads 10 of those ads giving readers a deeper sense of the lived experience of slavery and its aftermath.

A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck Cover

Sophie Elmhirst

A Marriage at Sea

A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck

The narrative recounted the 1972 ordeal of Morris and Marilyn Bailey, who spent four months adrift after a whale damaged their sloop.

"

My final best book pick is A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhurst, which tells how Morris and Marilyn Bailey spent four months adrift in the middle of the Pacific after a whale knocked...

— Episode: Homelessness In The New Gilded Age

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Homelessness In The New Gilded Age

The narrative recounted the 1972 ordeal of Morris and Marilyn Bailey, who spent four months adrift after a whale damaged their sloop.

"

My final best book pick is A Marriage at Sea by Sophie Elmhurst, which tells how Morris and Marilyn Bailey spent four months adrift in the middle of the Pacific after a whale knocked a hole in their wooden sloop.

Placeless: Homelessness in the New Gilded Age Cover

Patrick Markee

Placeless

Homelessness in the New Gilded Age

The transcript mentioned that Patrick Markey's new book Placeless asks what if homelessness is a political choice.

"

His new book, Placeless, asks What if homelessness isn't a personal failing, but a political choice? And what if the solution is simpler than we think?

— Episode: Remembering Steve Cropper / Playwright T...

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Episode: Remembering Steve Cropper / Playwright Tom Stoppar...

The transcript mentioned that Patrick Markey's new book Placeless asks what if homelessness is a political choice.

"

His new book, Placeless, asks What if homelessness isn't a personal failing, but a political choice? And what if the solution is simpler than we think?

Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President Cover

Candice Millard

Destiny of the Republic

A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President

Michael Shannon said the project began with Candace Millard's book and urged listeners to read it for its captivating and informative account of the era between the Civil War and the World Wars.

"

Well, it started with Candace's book, Destiny of the Republic. And for anybody who watches the program and gets a kick out of it, I highly suggest you read the book if you haven't alr...

— Episode: Best Of: Michael Shannon / ‘Pluribus’ St...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Best Of: Michael Shannon / ‘Pluribus’ Star Rhea Se...

Michael Shannon said the project began with Candace Millard's book and urged listeners to read it for its captivating and informative account of the era between the Civil War and the World Wars.

"

Well, it started with Candace's book, Destiny of the Republic. And for anybody who watches the program and gets a kick out of it, I highly suggest you read the book if you haven't already, because it's very captivating and very informative and illuminating.

The Antidote Cover

A.W. Baldwin

The Antidote

Maureen Corrigan highlighted Karen Russell's longawaited second novel as her pick for novel of the year, describing it as an epic story of immigration and land grabs set in Nebraska.

"

Karen Russell's long-awaited second novel The Antidote is my pick for novel of the year. An epic story of immigration, land grabs, and aspiration.

— Episode: Best Of: Michael Shannon / ‘Pluribus’ St...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Best Of: Michael Shannon / ‘Pluribus’ Star Rhea Se...

Maureen Corrigan highlighted Karen Russell's longawaited second novel as her pick for novel of the year, describing it as an epic story of immigration and land grabs set in Nebraska.

"

Karen Russell's long-awaited second novel The Antidote is my pick for novel of the year. An epic story of immigration, land grabs, and aspiration.

Writers & Lovers: A Novel Cover

Lily King

Writers & Lovers

A Novel

Maureen Corrigan referenced Lily King's 2020 novel as the original work that Heart the Lover follows, emphasizing its relevance to the companion novel.

"

Heart the Lover is a companion novel to Lily King's 2020 novel Writers and Lovers, but the structure of this followup is so ingenious that you don't have to have read the earlier book.

— Episode: Best Of: Michael Shannon / ‘Pluribus’ St...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Best Of: Michael Shannon / ‘Pluribus’ Star Rhea Se...

Maureen Corrigan referenced Lily King's 2020 novel as the original work that Heart the Lover follows, emphasizing its relevance to the companion novel.

"

Heart the Lover is a companion novel to Lily King's 2020 novel Writers and Lovers, but the structure of this followup is so ingenious that you don't have to have read the earlier book.

Note: The book recommendations on this page are discovered automatically from podcast transcripts, and may be incorrect or incomplete.