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
No More Tears: The Dark Secrets of Johnson & Johnson Cover

Gardiner Harris

No More Tears

The Dark Secrets of Johnson & Johnson

The book was mentioned as a new investigation into Johnson & Johnson, authored by journalist Gardner Harris.

"

Tomorrow on Fresh Air, our guest will be journalist Gardner Harris, author of a new book investigating Johnson & Johnson called No More Tears.

— Episode: Trump's Tariffs & The Radical Remaking O...

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Episode: Trump's Tariffs & The Radical Remaking Of The Glob...

The book was mentioned as a new investigation into Johnson & Johnson, authored by journalist Gardner Harris.

"

Tomorrow on Fresh Air, our guest will be journalist Gardner Harris, author of a new book investigating Johnson & Johnson called No More Tears.

Uncharted: The Fourth Labyrinth Cover

Christopher Golden

Uncharted

The Fourth Labyrinth

The host described Whipple's new book as an extraordinary story about the 2024 election, highlighting how Biden's inner circle operated in denial.

"

My guest Chris Whipple explores these questions ... in his new book, Uncharted, How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History.

— Episode: The 'Fog Of Delusion' In Biden's Inner C...

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Episode: The 'Fog Of Delusion' In Biden's Inner Circle

The host described Whipple's new book as an extraordinary story about the 2024 election, highlighting how Biden's inner circle operated in denial.

"

My guest Chris Whipple explores these questions ... in his new book, Uncharted, How Trump Beat Biden, Harris, and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History.

If you're just joining us, my guest is Chris Whipple, author of the new book Uncharted How Trump beat Biden Harris and the Odds in the wildest campaign in history.

We'll be right back after a short break. I'm Terry Gross, and this is Fresh Air. On the latest bonus episode ... my guest is Chris Whipple, author of the new book Uncharted How Trump beat Biden Harris and the Odds in the Wildest Campaign in History.

The Spymasters: How the CIA Directors Shape History and the Future Cover

Chris Whipple

The Spymasters

How the CIA Directors Shape History and the Future

Whipple was noted as the author of The Spymasters, a book about CIA directors and their influence on history.

"

He's also the author of The Spymasters, How the CIA Directors Shape History and the Future.

— Episode: The 'Fog Of Delusion' In Biden's Inner C...

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Episode: The 'Fog Of Delusion' In Biden's Inner Circle

Whipple was noted as the author of The Spymasters, a book about CIA directors and their influence on history.

"

He's also the author of The Spymasters, How the CIA Directors Shape History and the Future.

So We Read On: How The Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures Cover

Maureen Corrigan

So We Read On

How The Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures

Irene Corrigan was introduced as the author of So We Read On, a book about how The Great Gatsby came to be and why it endures.

"

Irene Corrigan is the author of a book about Gatsby called So We Read On, How the Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures.

— Episode: The 'Fog Of Delusion' In Biden's Inner C...

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Episode: The 'Fog Of Delusion' In Biden's Inner Circle

Irene Corrigan was introduced as the author of So We Read On, a book about how The Great Gatsby came to be and why it endures.

"

Irene Corrigan is the author of a book about Gatsby called So We Read On, How the Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures.

Uncharted: The Fourth Labyrinth Cover

Christopher Golden

Uncharted

The Fourth Labyrinth

The episode announced the forthcoming book "Uncharted" by Chris Whipple, mentioning its subtitle and that it would be discussed on a future Fresh Air interview.

"

That's the subtitle of the new book, Uncharted, by tomorrow's guest, Chris Whipple.

— Episode: At 3 Years Old, David Tennant Knew He Wa...

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Episode: At 3 Years Old, David Tennant Knew He Wanted To Be...

The episode announced the forthcoming book "Uncharted" by Chris Whipple, mentioning its subtitle and that it would be discussed on a future Fresh Air interview.

"

That's the subtitle of the new book, Uncharted, by tomorrow's guest, Chris Whipple.

Free: My Search for Meaning Cover

Amanda Knox

Free

My Search for Meaning

The program described Knox's latest memoir, Free, My Search for Meaning, as exploring life after prison and her reintegration into society.

"

Her latest memoir, Free, My Search for Meaning, goes beyond the events of her trial and imprisonment and explores the realities of reintegrating into society and rebuilding a life.

— Episode: Best Of: Amanda Knox / 'Adolescence' Co-...

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Episode: Best Of: Amanda Knox / 'Adolescence' Co-Creator &...

The program described Knox's latest memoir, Free, My Search for Meaning, as exploring life after prison and her reintegration into society.

"

Her latest memoir, Free, My Search for Meaning, goes beyond the events of her trial and imprisonment and explores the realities of reintegrating into society and rebuilding a life.

Amanda Knox's new memoir is Free, My Search for Meaning.

The New Deportations Delirium: Interdisciplinary Responses (Citizenship and Migration in the Americas, 7) Cover

Daniel Kanstroom

The New Deportations Delirium

Interdisciplinary Responses (Citizenship and Migration in the Americas, 7)

The book examined the sprawling deportation system in the United States since the post9/11 era, highlighting its scope and impact.

"

Kanstrom's latest book, The New Deportation Delirium, examines the sprawling system of deportation in our country since 911.

— Episode: ICE Campus Arrests & The 'Struggle For T...

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Episode: ICE Campus Arrests & The 'Struggle For The Soul' O...

The book examined the sprawling deportation system in the United States since the post9/11 era, highlighting its scope and impact.

"

Kanstrom's latest book, The New Deportation Delirium, examines the sprawling system of deportation in our country since 911.

Something I was thinking about in reading your book, The New Deportation Delirium, you really get into some facts that give us greater context.

You say in your book that we will look back and see this whole deportation tactic as a mistake, that it was way too harsh.

The Women: A Novel Cover

Kristin Hannah

The Women

A Novel

It was identified as one of the three books authored by Hilton Als, mentioned alongside White Girls and My Pin-Up.

"

He's the author of several books, including The Women, White Girls, and My Pin-Up, a genrebending memoir essay that examines the music, persona, and cultural impact of Prince.

— Episode: Writer, Critic & Curator Hilton Als Look...

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Episode: Writer, Critic & Curator Hilton Als Looks For The...

It was identified as one of the three books authored by Hilton Als, mentioned alongside White Girls and My Pin-Up.

"

He's the author of several books, including The Women, White Girls, and My Pin-Up, a genrebending memoir essay that examines the music, persona, and cultural impact of Prince.

White Girls Cover

Hilton Als

White Girls

It was cited as a 2013 collection of essays by Als and later referenced when the host asked him to read an excerpt from it.

"

He's the author of several books, including The Women, White Girls, and My Pin-Up, a genrebending memoir essay that examines the music, persona, and cultural impact of Prince.

— Episode: Writer, Critic & Curator Hilton Als Look...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Writer, Critic & Curator Hilton Als Looks For The...

It was cited as a 2013 collection of essays by Als and later referenced when the host asked him to read an excerpt from it.

"

He's the author of several books, including The Women, White Girls, and My Pin-Up, a genrebending memoir essay that examines the music, persona, and cultural impact of Prince.

I'd like for you to read an excerpt from your collection of essays that was also included in your collection of essays, White Girls, which came out in 2013.

My Pinup Cover

Hilton Als

My Pinup

It was listed as one of Als's published books, described as a genrebending memoir essay about Prince.

"

He's the author of several books, including The Women, White Girls, and My Pinup, a genrebending memoir essay that examines the music, persona, and cultural impact of Prince.

— Episode: Writer, Critic & Curator Hilton Als Look...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: Writer, Critic & Curator Hilton Als Looks For The...

It was listed as one of Als's published books, described as a genrebending memoir essay about Prince.

"

He's the author of several books, including The Women, White Girls, and My Pinup, a genrebending memoir essay that examines the music, persona, and cultural impact of Prince.

Shattered: Surviving the Loss of a Child (Good Grief Series) Cover

Gary Roe

Shattered

Surviving the Loss of a Child (Good Grief Series)

The memoir was introduced as Qureshi's new book that begins with his 2020 spinalcord injury and details his year of hospitalisation and dependence on caregivers.

"

His new memoir called Shattered begins in 2020 after a fall that injured his spinal cord, leaving him unable to move his arms or legs.

— Episode: Best Of: A Writer Grapples With A Life-C...

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Episode: Best Of: A Writer Grapples With A Life-Changing Ac...

The memoir was introduced as Qureshi's new book that begins with his 2020 spinalcord injury and details his year of hospitalisation and dependence on caregivers.

"

His new memoir called Shattered begins in 2020 after a fall that injured his spinal cord, leaving him unable to move his arms or legs.

Hennif Qureshi's new memoir is called Shattered.

Red Scare: Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America Cover

Clay Risen

Red Scare

Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America

Terry Gross introduced Risen's latest work as an examination of the postWorld WarII anticommunist frenzy and its connections to contemporary politics.

"

His new book is Red Scare, Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America.

— Episode: Best Of: A Writer Grapples With A Life-C...

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Episode: Best Of: A Writer Grapples With A Life-Changing Ac...

Terry Gross introduced Risen's latest work as an examination of the postWorld WarII anticommunist frenzy and its connections to contemporary politics.

"

His new book is Red Scare, Blacklists, McCarthyism, and the Making of Modern America.

The Friend (National Book Award Winner): A Novel Cover

Sigrid Nunez

The Friend (National Book Award Winner)

A Novel

The novel won the 2018 National Book Award for fiction and was later adapted into a film starring Naomi Watts and Bill Murray.

"

The new film, The Friend, starring Naomi Watts and Bill Murray, is based on the novel of the same name by Sigrid Nunez. Her book won a 2018 National Book Award for fiction.

— Episode: After A Friend's Suicide, A Writer Inher...

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Episode: After A Friend's Suicide, A Writer Inherits His Gr...

The novel won the 2018 National Book Award for fiction and was later adapted into a film starring Naomi Watts and Bill Murray.

"

The new film, The Friend, starring Naomi Watts and Bill Murray, is based on the novel of the same name by Sigrid Nunez. Her book won a 2018 National Book Award for fiction.

The novel The Friend is filled with reflections about the line between appropriate and inappropriate relations between students and teachers, what it's like to mourn a friend who left no note to explain his suicide, the bond that can develop between a dog and a person, and how being a writer has changed in the era of social media.

Sigrid Nunez, welcome to Fresh Air. I want to start with a reading from your novel, and this is from very early on, when the main character has recently learned that her friend has committed suicide and is reflecting on, like, why.

The story in The Friend, the narrator is a woman whose mentor from college who was close to her age became a dear friend and he has just committed suicide. She's left grieving and wondering why. And she also inherits his dog.

Sigrid Nunez, speaking with Terry Gross in 2019. Her novel, The Friend, won the 2018 National Book Award for Fiction and has been adapted into a new film.

Mad House: How Donald Trump, MAGA Mean Girls, a Former Used Car Salesman, a Florida Nepo Baby, and a Man with Rats in His Walls Broke Congress Cover

Annie Karni

Mad House

How Donald Trump, MAGA Mean Girls, a Former Used Car Salesman, a Florida Nepo Baby, and a Man with Rats in His Walls Broke Congress

The hosts introduced the new book that examined the chaotic 118th Congress, describing its colorful title and focus on Trumplinked politics. The guests discussed how the book detailed the breakdown in civility and legislative dysfunction.

"

Carney and Broadwater's new book is Madhouse, How Donald Trump, MAGA Mean Girls, a former used car salesman, a Florida Nepo baby, and a man with rats in his walls broke Congress.

— Episode: Inside The 'Mad House' Of Congressional...

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Episode: Inside The 'Mad House' Of Congressional Disfunctio...

The hosts introduced the new book that examined the chaotic 118th Congress, describing its colorful title and focus on Trumplinked politics. The guests discussed how the book detailed the breakdown in civility and legislative dysfunction.

"

Carney and Broadwater's new book is Madhouse, How Donald Trump, MAGA Mean Girls, a former used car salesman, a Florida Nepo baby, and a man with rats in his walls broke Congress.

It's called Madhouse. How Donald Trump, MAGA Mean Girls, a former used car salesman, a Florida Nepo baby, and a man with rats in his walls broke Congress.

Their new book about the last Congress is titled Madhouse. We'll talk more after this short break.

Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America Cover

Elie Mystal

Bad Law

Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America

The author described his new book as mixing humor with deep analysis to argue that ten popular laws are harming America, and he explained that the book examines how those statutes functioned as intended but with poor, antidemocratic intentions.

"

Mistal's new book, Bad Law, 10 Popular Laws That Are Ruining America, mixes humor with deep analysis to argue that our laws on immigration, religious freedom, abortion, and voting rig...

— Episode: A Legal Scholar On 10 Laws 'Ruining Amer...

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Episode: A Legal Scholar On 10 Laws 'Ruining America'

The author described his new book as mixing humor with deep analysis to argue that ten popular laws are harming America, and he explained that the book examines how those statutes functioned as intended but with poor, antidemocratic intentions.

"

Mistal's new book, Bad Law, 10 Popular Laws That Are Ruining America, mixes humor with deep analysis to argue that our laws on immigration, religious freedom, abortion, and voting rights are actually making life worse than better.

Ellie Mistal's new book is Bad Law, Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America.

And you are saying that these laws aren't basically imperfect like the other types of laws that you mentioned. You're arguing that their very function is to harm.

Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution Cover

Elie Mystal

Allow Me to Retort

A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution

The host noted that Mistal is the author of "Allow Me to Retort, A Black Guy's Guide to the Constitution," highlighting his previous work before discussing his new book.

"

Ellie Mistal is a legal analyst and justice correspondent for The Nation and the legal editor of the More Perfect podcast on the Supreme Court for Radiolab. He's also an Alfred Knobler Fellow at Type...

— Episode: A Legal Scholar On 10 Laws 'Ruining Amer...

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Episode: A Legal Scholar On 10 Laws 'Ruining America'

The host noted that Mistal is the author of "Allow Me to Retort, A Black Guy's Guide to the Constitution," highlighting his previous work before discussing his new book.

"

Ellie Mistal is a legal analyst and justice correspondent for The Nation and the legal editor of the More Perfect podcast on the Supreme Court for Radiolab. He's also an Alfred Knobler Fellow at Type Media Center and the author of Allow Me to Retort, A Black Guy's Guide to the Constitution.

A Good Walk Spoiled: Days and Nights on the Pga Tour Cover

John Feinstein

A Good Walk Spoiled

Days and Nights on the Pga Tour

The book was mentioned as another bestseller, a behindthescenes look at the professional golf tour.

"

In 1985, he took a leave of absence from the Post to research and write his first book, Season on the Brink, about his year shadowing the volatile Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight. It became a be...

— Episode: 50 Years Of 'Rocky Horror'

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Episode: 50 Years Of 'Rocky Horror'

The book was mentioned as another bestseller, a behindthescenes look at the professional golf tour.

"

In 1985, he took a leave of absence from the Post to research and write his first book, Season on the Brink, about his year shadowing the volatile Indiana basketball coach Bobby Knight. It became a bestseller, as did his book, A Good Walk Spoiled, a behind-the-scenes look at the pro golf tour.

One on One: Behind the Scenes with the Greats in the Game Cover

John Feinstein

One on One

Behind the Scenes with the Greats in the Game

The conversation noted that Feinstein discussed this title when it was released in 2011.

"

John Feinstein spoke with Dave Davies in 2011 upon the publication of his book, One-on-One, Behind the Scenes with the Greats in the Game.

— Episode: 50 Years Of 'Rocky Horror'

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Episode: 50 Years Of 'Rocky Horror'

The conversation noted that Feinstein discussed this title when it was released in 2011.

"

John Feinstein spoke with Dave Davies in 2011 upon the publication of his book, One-on-One, Behind the Scenes with the Greats in the Game.

Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America Cover

Elie Mystal

Bad Law

Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America

Mistal's new book argued that many U.S. laws on immigration, abortion and voting rights no longer reflect the public's will and should be scrapped.

"

In his new book, Bad Law, he argues that our country's laws on immigration, abortion, and voting rights don't reflect the will of most Americans and we'd be better off abolishing them...

— Episode: 50 Years Of 'Rocky Horror'

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: 50 Years Of 'Rocky Horror'

Mistal's new book argued that many U.S. laws on immigration, abortion and voting rights no longer reflect the public's will and should be scrapped.

"

In his new book, Bad Law, he argues that our country's laws on immigration, abortion, and voting rights don't reflect the will of most Americans and we'd be better off abolishing them and starting over.

The Antidote: A Novel Cover

Karen Russell

The Antidote

A Novel

Maureen Corrigan reviewed Russell's new DustBowlera novel, praising its vivid imagination and predicting awardseason buzz.

"

Maureen Corrigan says she expects Russell's new novel, The Antidote, will be on a lot of prize lists this year.

— Episode: The Promise & Peril Of AI

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Episode: The Promise & Peril Of AI

Maureen Corrigan reviewed Russell's new DustBowlera novel, praising its vivid imagination and predicting awardseason buzz.

"

Maureen Corrigan says she expects Russell's new novel, The Antidote, will be on a lot of prize lists this year.

The Antidote has just come out, and now we know why it took so long. American epics take a while.

The Antidote is set in a Dust Bowl-era Nebraska town called Uzz, but it also reaches back to the earlier pioneer era Russell evoked in her short story masterpiece, Proving Up.

The Antidote is a prairie witch who goes by the name The Antidote. Part huckster, mostly healer.

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