Bethanne Patrick


The Best Book Podcasts for Literary Fans and #BookTok Followers

When it comes to books plus audio, count me as a podcast girl! Don’t get me wrong; I appreciate audiobooks, but I am much happier separating church and state by reading things in print and listening to people talk about reading things in print. Over the years, I’ve discovered so many podcasts about books, writing, and publishing; here, I’m going to stick to those that are my favorites for geeking out over particular authors, series, and genres. These podcasts will help you decide what to read, rather than providing you with complete narratives of their own. Enjoy!

Miwa Messer’s voice is as smooth as the title’s style of coffee, and combined with her deep knowledge of books and authors, this makes for the perfect podcast to start your day – especially if you’re an avid reader who cannot hear enough of your favorite writers and their latest works! Messer may be the rare human who has read more than I have, and I bow down to her ability to make connections between backlist and frontlist while maintaining real enthusiasm for characters and events and making authors excited, too.

From the flagship location of The Brooklyn Public Library at Grand Army Plaza, here’s a podcast for the true library believers, hosted by Director of Marketing Krissa Corbett Cavouras and Brownsville branch librarian Adwoa Adusai. They cover topics from the Dewey Decimal System to banned books to Brooklyn history to how libraries have changed in the United States over the years and even on to how to deal with burnout (as we all have been over the past few years). It’s community-focused and beautifully produced. 

Sure, The Stacks is all about stacks of books and the joys of reading, but it’s also a podcast that uses books “as a framework to discuss our cultural understanding of race, gender, politics, and what it means to be alive,” according to host Traci Thomas. Not only does Thomas have great episodes on current books, she also offers some great advice in her SheWrites column, like talking with your kids about banned books, book-club tips, and ideas for finding titles that focus on Black joy. But listen to her podcast first! I promise you’ll love it. 

%d bloggers like this: