Listen here: 10 great podcasts for book lovers
As any reader will tell you, a good book doesn't end when you've flipped the last page. There's always more to learn, plots to discuss, themes to debate and backstories to flesh out.
And that's where podcasts come in.
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With the ongoing boom in podcasting, there have been no shortage of great new shows about books. Whether you are looking for a behind-the-scenes peek with your favorite authors, or you're in need of reading recommendations, podcasts can be the perfect way to strengthen your love of literature.
To get you started, here are 10 podcasts that every book nerd should be listening to -- together with one recommended episode for each podcast to get you started.
1. Literary Disco
If you love chatting about books with your friends, Literary Disco is for you. It's a bi-monthly book conversation hosted by essayist Julia Pistell, writer and critic Tod Goldberg and -- especially for readers nostalgic for the 1990s -- Rider Strong from Boy Meets World.
The books featured on the show range from intense literary fiction, such as Paul Harding's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Tinkers, to more youth-oriented books like Nancy Drew and Animporphs. That means you will always get a diverse mix of recommendations.
Like any great book chat, the discussions are personal, informative and prone to tangents. Get ready to nerd out!
Best episode to start: The Fault in Our Stars
2. Slate Audio Book Club
Can't find a book club in your neighborhood? Slate's Audio Book Club is here to help. The monthly podcast discusses buzzworthy books you've been meaning to read but haven't had time to pick up yet.
The show features a rotating cast of Slate writers as guests. That means discussions stay fresh and varied, with a range of perspectives, passions and areas of expertise.
Best episode to start: Americanah
3. Lexicon Valley
Also from Slate, Lexicon Valley isn't about books per se. Rather, it's about what books are made out of: words. Each episode looks at a linguistic concept like the phrase "Yeah, no"; the show has also investigated the history of the world "fuck."
Whether you are a writer looking to hone your craft or a reader who wants to better understand speech, Lexicon Valley will give you a greater appreciation for the building blocks of language.
Best episode to start: Does “Yeah, No …” Mean Yes or No (or Both)?
4. Books on the Nightstand
Books on the Nightstand is like a casual book chat with your friends -- if your friends were literary experts.
The show's two hosts, Michael Kindness and Ann Kingman, both work in sales at Random House (though the show is publisher agnostic). As they say, they get paid to talk about books all day.
But you don't have to work in the industry to love Books on the Nightstand. The podcast is designed for anybody who likes to read and wants to stay up to date with what's happening in the book world.
Best episode to start: No Women Allowed?
5. New Yorker: Fiction
Authors are just like us: They like reading too!
If you want to get a sense of what your favorite writers enjoy, check out the New Yorker: Fiction podcast. Deborah Treisman, fiction editor of New Yorker, invites an author to select and read a piece of fiction published in The New Yorker. After the reading, Treisman and the guest have a brief but fascinating discussion about the selection.
Best episode to start: David Sedaris Reads Miranda July
6. The Poetry Gods
The Poetry Gods is a new podcast about life and writing with a poetic twist. Or as the show puts it, "The Poetry Gods are here to show you how to not be wack in 2016 & beyond."
Hosted by poets Aziza Barnes, Jon Sands and José Olivarez, each episode includes an interview with a poet, meditations on life and current events, and a brief poetry reading. But the strength of the show is that the poets featured aren't the classics you read in school.
Instead, The Poetry Gods introduces listeners to talented, up-and-coming writers, frequently poets of color, currently making waves in the poetry world.
Best episode to start: Episode 1 featuring Jayson P Smith
7. Welcome to Night Vale
Welcome to Nightvale is a bi-monthly podcast about the fictional desert town of Night Vale. Episodes are framed as community updates with a paranormal twist: Night Vale is plagued by ghosts, aliens and a whole host of shadowy conspiracies.
The show was eventually turned into a novel -- but if you like suspense and horror mixed with humor and surrealism, Welcome to Night Vale is the podcast for you.
Best episode to start: Pilot
8. Major Spoilers
If you want to do a deep dive into the comics world, check out the Major Spoilers Podcast. The show is a weekly conversation about comic book news and pop culture.
Each episode also features a review of a new comic book title -- and is appropriate for longtime fans and newcomers to the genre.
Best episode to start: Marvel's Civil War
9. Longform Podcast
Longform Podcast is a weekly podcast that celebrates non-fiction in journalism and literature. Each week, hosts Aaron Lammer, Max Linsky and Evan Ratliff talk to a non-fiction author about the art of writing and journalism, diving into books and/or articles that writer has produced. Guests have included Leslie Jamison, George Saunders, Cheryl Strayed and Ta-Nehisi Coates.
The Longform Podcast is a must-listen -- especially if you're looking for nonfiction writing advice from some of the best in the business.
Best episode to start: Ta-Nehisi Coates
10. LA Review of Books
Sometimes the best way to learn about a subject is to step away from the center of it. The LA Review of Books' podcast explores the literary world of the West Coast, away from the New York City publishing scene. Each episode features interviews, readings, and discussions with great authors.
Best episode to start: Rainn Wilson, Mei Fong, and 'Game of Thrones'
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