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In need of a good read? Or just want to keep up with the books everyone's talking about? NPR's Book of the Day gives you today's very best writing in a snackable, skimmable, pocket-sized podcast. Whether you're looking to engage with the big questions of our times – or temporarily escape from them – we've got an author who will speak to you, all genres, mood and writing styles included. Catch today's great books in 15 minutes or less.

NPR's Book of the Day

Robert Smalls’ dynamic life story – his daring escape from slavery, his pivotal role in the Civil War, and the political career that ensued – was almost lost to history. But now there are plans to preserve and celebrate him. A new monument honoring Smalls is set to be unveiled outside the South Carolina Statehouse. In today’s episode, Michael Boulware Moore, Smalls’ great-great-grandson and author of the book Freedom on the Sea, joins Here & Now’s Anthony Brooks to talk about Smalls' legacy.

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'Freedom on the Sea' is a biography of Robert Smalls – by his great-great-grandson

In the spring of 1941, Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, braced for incoming attacks from German bombers. Over April and May, four German air raids killed thousands of Belfast residents. Lucy Caldwell’s novel These Days is set during this time. In today’s episode, she speaks with NPR’s Scott Simon about a piece of writing advice from Gabriel García Márquez, what she learned from survivors of the Belfast Blitz, and why she wanted to share this chapter in her city’s history.

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The novel 'These Days' fictionalizes a lesser-known chapter in the history of Belfast

We are in the thick of winter in the U.S. Days are short, nights are long, and in much of the country, it’s crisp and cold outside. A new book by the Scottish author Val McDermid makes the case for the season’s beauty – despite its challenges. Winter: The Story of a Season is a work of creative nonfiction that explores seasonal traditions and McDermid’s personal memories. In today’s episode, the author joins NPR’s Daniel Estrin for a conversation that touches on McDermid’s crime novels, the difficulty of winter for unhoused people, and the tradition of a “Burns Supper.”

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With her new book, Scottish author Val McDermid wants to “charm you into winter”

Matt Greene’s new novel The Definitions starts with new college dormmates getting to know each other. But there’s a dystopian twist: The students have survived a virus that has erased people’s memories. Nameless students attend school at The Center, where they’re told their memories will one day return to them. In today’s episode, Greene chats with NPR’s Lauren Frayer about the philosophy of language, the pandemic, and some unresolved questions from his book.

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'The Definitions' features dorm room conversation – with a dystopian twist

Two debut novelists are out with murder mysteries set in the United Kingdom. First, Jennie Godfrey’s The List of Suspicious Things is a coming-of-age story inspired by the Yorkshire Ripper, the English serial killer who murdered 13 women in the 1970s. In today’s episode, Godfrey tells NPR’s Scott Simon about her own experience growing up during the time of these murders. Then, Death at the White Hart is a novel by Chris Chibnall, the creator of the television show Broadchurch. In today’s episode, Chibnall tells NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly about the two rival pubs at the center of his story.

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Two debut novels, two murder mysteries set in the United Kingdom

Indian Bengali writer Amitav Ghosh has been writing about empire, the environment, and other subjects for the past 25 years. Now, he has gathered some of his essays into a new collection called Wild Fictions, which asks big questions about the way humans are connected to other forms of life. In today’s episode, Ghosh joins NPR’s Scott Simon for a conversation that touches on climate change as a problem of politics, culture, and imagination. They also discuss an idea central to Ghosh’s thought: that anthropocentrism is responsible for our current planetary crisis.

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Amitav Ghosh’s 'Wild Fictions' gathers essays on empire and the environment

Hester Kaplan, the daughter of Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Justin Kaplan, knew her father was an esteemed writer and researcher, but she didn’t quite know him personally. After the elder Kaplan died in 2014, Hester began to discover her father, unexpectedly, through his famous biographical account of Mark Twain. In today’s episode, Kaplan speaks with Here and Now’s Tiziana Dearing about the power of biography, and how her memoir Twice Born recounts the stories of a man – and a family – still alive in the margins. 

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In 'Twice Born,' a daughter discovers her father through his biography of Mark Twain

Palantir is one of the world’s most valuable companies, analyzing data for businesses, but also for U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies. The Philosopher in the Valley, a new book by Michael Steinberger, is a portrait of the company’s CEO, Alex Karp. In today’s episode, Steinberger speaks with NPR’s Steve Inskeep about Palantir’s operations at the nexus of technology and national security, Karp’s liberal arts background, and the CEO’s unusual lifestyle.

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'The Philosopher in the Valley' paints an eccentric portrait of Palantir’s Alex Karp

Russ & Daughters opened in 1914 and is one of the last remaining “appetizing stores” in New York City. The shop – which the owners say is not a deli – is famous for its bagels and lox, among other classic Jewish foods. Now, the Russ family is out with a cookbook that includes history, recipes and musings from the last century. In today’s episode, NPR’s Scott Simon visits Russ & Daughters, where he finds the shop brimming with smoked salmon, whitefish salad, chubs, trout, sable, sturgeon and more.

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'Russ & Daughters' cookbook documents a century-old New York City establishment

As 2025 comes to a close, we're revisiting interviews with this year's nominees and winners of some of the biggest prizes in literature. Last up: A 10-year-old girl, Louisa, is later found on a beach in Japan – and her father has disappeared. She and her mother are left on their own – but the tragedy doesn’t bring them closer together, at least for a long time. Susan Choi’s novel Flashlight follows this family across generations and a vast historical expanse. In today’s episode, Choi speaks with NPR’s Scott Simon about why her protagonist fends off love, her interest in the historical tensions between Korea and Japan, and the benefit of writing in chronological order.

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Susan Choi’s 'Flashlight' is about an alternate-universe version of her own family

Today's episode is about two children's books with very big themes. First, author-illustrator Vashti Harrison speaks with NPR's Juana Summers about Big, which chronicles how words affect children – and particularly young, Black girls – as they grow older and their bodies change from baby to big kid. Then, Dolly Parton joins NPR's Melissa Block to discuss Billy the Kid Makes It Big, a story about a music-making dog (inspired by a real-life pet!) standing up to the bullies around him.

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Books by Vashti Harrison and Dolly Parton teach kids about self-love and courage

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