Whether I’m walking my dogs or going for a run, I love listening to audiobooks. Sometimes, though, I want to switch it up, and that’s when I tune into podcasts. If you’re like me and can’t get enough bookish content, check out this list of podcasts, including one from Libro.fm, favorites from our friends at The Podglomerate, and more!
#1 – Libro.fm Podcast
Our monthly podcast features interviews with authors, narrators, and book lovers, as well as audiobook news and recommendations. Hosted by Libro.fm staffers Karen Farmer and Craig Silva, the show also offers an inside peek into Libro.fm.
#2 – Missing Pages
This all-new investigative podcast produced by The Podglomerate and hosted by literary critic and publishing insider Bethanne Patrick uncovers the power struggles, mistaken identities, and bad behavior within the secretive world of book publishing. Each episode brings in authors, experts, publishing insiders, and a circus of NYC media elites to tell the real story; unfit for print.
#3 – Well-Read Black Girl with Glory Edim
Expanding on the community Glory Edim built in 2015, Well-Read Black Girl features deep, honest and close conversation with authors like Tarana Burke, Min Jin Lee, Anita Hill, Gabrielle Union, Elizabeth Acevedo and more. WRBG Book Club members, literacy advocates, and Black booksellers also share what they’re reading and what it means to be well-read.
#4 – From the Front Porch
Annie B. Jones, the owner of The Bookshelf, an independent bookstore in Thomasville, Georgia hosts this literary podcast. Each week, she discusses books, small business, and life in the South with a variety of cohosts from The Bookshelf’s in-store and online community.
#5 – Levar Burton Reads
In every episode, host LeVar Burton (Roots, Reading Rainbow, Star Trek) invites you to take a break from your daily life, and dive into a great story. LeVar’s narration blends with gorgeous soundscapes to bring short stories by Neil Gaiman, Haruki Murakami, Octavia Butler, Ray Bradbury and more to life.
#6 – Storybound
Storybound from The Podglomerate network is a radio theater program designed for the podcast age. In each episode, listeners will be treated to their favorite authors and writers reading some of their most impactful stories, designed with powerful and immersive sound environments.
#7 – The Stacks
The Stacks is your one stop shop to talk books and reading. Guests join host Traci Thomas for lively discussions about books and the ways they have shaped their lives, and the way we all understand culture, race, politics, and more.
#8 – Bad Author Book Club
Authors Claribel A. Ortega and Ryan la Sala dive into the wacky world of celebrity penned fiction. They’re currently reading Modelland by Tyra Banks. You can listen each week as they discuss every chapter.
#9 – Book Dreams
Book Dreams, part of The Podglomerate network, is a podcast for everyone who loves books and misses English class. In each episode co-hosts Julie Sternberg and Eve Yohalem explore a book-related topic they can’t stop thinking about, everything from the genius of your favorite picture books to books bound in human skin.
#10 – The Big Gay Fiction Podcast
The Big Gay Fiction Podcast is for avid readers and passionate fans of gay romance fiction. Each week we bring you exclusive author interviews, book recommendations and explore the latest in gay pop culture.
#11 – Backlisted
Presented by John Michinson and Andy Miller, each episode features a guest (usually a writer) who has chosen a book they love and which they think deserves a wider audience.
#12 – The Bookstore Podcast
It’s like a book club, but they actually read the book. Hosts Becca and Corinne as they recreate their days working and hanging out at their local independent book store.
#13 – Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books
Zibby Owens, author, podcaster, publisher, and mother of four, interviews with authors on this award-winning literary podcast. Launched in 2018, Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books has been downloaded millions of times and has spawned two anthologies, an online magazine, a virtual book club, and a publishing house.
#14 – The Writer Files
Kelton Reid studies the habits, habitats, and brains of a wide spectrum of renowned writers to learn their secrets of productivity and creativity. Learn how great writers keep the ink flowing, the cursor moving, and avoid writer’s block. The Writer Files is part of The Podglomerate network.
#15 – What Should I Read Next?
A show for every reader who has ever finished a book and faced the problem of not knowing what to read next. Each week, Anne Bogel, of Modern Mrs Darcy, interviews a reader about the books they love, the books they hate, and the books they’re reading now and makes recommendations about what to read next.
#16 – SSR Podcast
Inspired by Silent Sustained Reading, a staple of elementary school, host Alli Hoff Kosik launched The SSR Podcast — used mostly unofficially to stand for Sh*t She Read — to create a place for candid conversations about the books we loved in middle and high school. Each week, Alli challenges a guest to reread a literary throwback or book they may have missed as a kid. After that, they’re asked to spill all the feels and opinions.
#17 – The History of Literature
Listen in as literature enthusiast Jacke Wilson journeys through the history of literature, from ancient epics to contemporary classics. Episodes are not in chronological order and you don’t need to start at the beginning – feel free to jump in wherever you like! Part of The Podglomerate network.
#18 – One Bright Book
A podcast where three friends read all the books, one book at a time. Join Frances, Dorian, and Rebecca as they discuss one book in depth and chat about their reading.
#19 – Books Unbound
Booktubers Ariel Bissett and Raeleen Lemay discuss the books they’ve read, the books they’ve bought, and recommend books to listeners every Sunday morning.
#20 – Books and the City
Bookstagrammers @kayreadwhat, @thelazylibrary, @beckyinthebookshelves and @sleeprunreadrepeat get together with a glass of wine and share a recent read spoiler-free. Listeners will end each episode with four new book recs (and four new friends)!
#21 – Writer’s Bone
Aspiring writers, bestselling authors, and award-winning screenwriters confront existential dread and writing angst on this podcast, which launched in 2014.
Phew, what a list!
Do you have a favorite bookish podcast? Shout them out in the comments below and maybe we’ll include it in part two 😉.
Oh I hope the Narrated Podcast makes it into round 2! It’s been around for several years and is dedicated to audiobooks only!
The BookRiot Podcast! I look forward to listening to Jeff and Rebecca talk book news every Monday morning!
Love so many of these!! One of my faves is also Books on the Brain!
I love Reading Glasses, really hope to see it included in the next one!
I’d love to see a British podcast recommended. Sometimes the US ones aren’t relevant to me and I end up having to skip bits or end up feeling confused or ‘out of the loop’.
Many of these are new to me. Can’t wait to check them out! I love the Currently Reading podcast for the variety of books and hilarious host chemistry and Strong Sense of Place to learn and arm chair travel.
YES! To Currently Reading podcast!
Yes Yes Yes!! Currently Reading!!
My faves not on the list are Thoughts From A Page, Book Talk, etc., and Reading Through Life.
We hope that we’re considered for round ✌️… Let’s Get LITerary! A DEI-focused podcast! We’ve just crossed into Season 2 and can’t wait to discuss some great books over the next year!
@rollinsliterary
Currently Reading needs to be included in this list!
Currently Reading! It’s amazing!
Thank you so much for this list!
If you haven’t discovered it already, the Strong Sense of Place podcast is fantastic. Every episode, hosts Mel and Dave talk about books that are set in or about a specific location, and it’s just huge fun to listen to. They’re obviously having a great time, and they pick fantastic books, too.
Great list! I hope you’ll consider including Strong Sense of Place for your next roundup. The delightful hosts choose a destination and 5 books set in that location with a strong sense of place. They share fiction, nonfiction, and they often suggest the audiobook versions. Great way to travel the world through books.
Am I allowed to plug my own bookish podcast!? Bookstore Explorer is a new one in which author Matt Browning goes “behind the shelves” with booksellers to figure out what makes bookshops so magical. Each episode profiles a different indie bookshop. Booksellers discuss that indie shop magic, the book and bookstore business, their favorite reads and more. New episodes Tuesdays on all major podcasting platforms!
Close Reads is my very favorite bookish podcast!!!
Strong Sense of Place is my go to for books on the pod. The hosts live in Europe and they select books based on a different destination every episode. You get some virtual travel and a stack of great books to read.
Love love love this list! SHE WELL READ is a bite sized book club podcast that breaks down books chapter by chapter in each episode! Hosted by two awesome young black women!
Novel Pairings! Pairing classics with modern reads!! They were the ones that really got me into podcasts.
Or Marlon and Jake Read Dead People. Can’t go wrong with Marlon James.
I love Sarah’s Bookshelves Live podcast!
Reading Glasses and Literary Disco are two of my favorites!
I’d love to see Strong Sense of Place pod in list two. Hosts Mel and Dave take us around the world through books, both fiction and nonfiction based in one location! Absolutely love and they describe and discuss each book so well that my TBR is bursting at the seams!!!
I get emails from Strong Sense of Place somehow, but I have not ever read them. Thank you to Susan and all the other people who mentioned Strong Sense of Place. I will have to spend some time looking through them. Maybe I’ll even consider listening to the podcast, though I do not listen to Podcasts very often.
Thanks again,
Barbara
Sarah’s Bookshelves Live and Currently Reading are two great book podcasts.
Book Talk Etc!
I love so many of these and following the rest. I’ll throw in “For Real (for nonfiction lovers) and “The Readerly Report.” The Readerly Report was on hiatus over the summer, but they have great books and witty banter.
Currently Reading is my Favorite!
Shout out to readers of a certain age—Book Cougars-Two Middle Aged Women on the Hunt for a good read. It’s is a great listen and would be fun for any age.
Currently Reading and Sarah’s Bookshelves Live are my favorite reading podcasts!!
Reading Glasses has really freshened up my reading choices
Inside the Writer’s Studio is a fascinating author-interview podcast hosted by a writer–who’s actually read the book too–and so is asking smart and insightful questions. Even if I’ve never heard of the author and even if I don’t go on to read the book, I still get a lot out of every episode