Aisha Saeed joins us to discuss Omar Rising (Nancy Paulsen Books, Feb. 1). Kirkus calls this companion to her New York Times-bestselling middle-grade debut Amal Unbound “a powerful tale about a preteen pushing back against systemic injustice” (starred review). Then our editors join with their reading recommendations for the week, with books by Sara Zarr, Ian ... Show More
Nov 18
Best Nonfiction Books of 2025 with Jen Hatmaker
<p>We’re continuing our Best Books of 2025 coverage with a special episode dedicated to nonfiction. First, Jen Hatmaker joins us to discuss <em>Awake: A Memoir</em> (Avid Reader Press, Sept. 23), one of Kirkus’ Best Nonfiction Books of the year. ... Show More
48m 14s
Nov 11
Best Fiction Books of 2025 with Lily King
<p>We’re kicking off our Best Books of 2025 coverage with a special episode dedicated to fiction. First, Lily King joins us to discuss <em>Heart the Lover </em>(Grove, September 30), one of Kirkus’ Best Fiction Books of the year. Then fiction editor Lauri ... Show More
46m 55s
Jul 2023
Coming of Age in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn | Aisha Abdel Gawad
Writing Between Two Moons: An Arab-American coming of age story set in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn during the “War on Terror”. Author Aisha Abdel Gawad sheds light on her experience writing the novel while balancing her work as a high-school teacher, capturing Bay Ridge’s unique communit ... Show More
53m 19s
Dec 2018
Ayana Mathis: “The Twelve Tribes of Hattie”
<p>New York Times best-selling author Ayana Mathis discusses her sweeping debut novel, “The Twelve Tribes of Hattie.” The book tells the story of the children of the Great Migration through the trials of one indomitable heroine, Hattie Shepherd, and her unforgettable family. Ayan ... Show More
29m 49s
Mar 2022
ZEYN JOUKHADAR | The Thirty Names of Night | Book Club
<p>Zeyn Joukhadar talked about his book ‘The Thirty Names of Night: A Novel’<strong>.</strong></p><p>Zeyn Joukhadar is the author of the novels The Map of Salt and Stars, 2018, and The Thirty Names of Night, 2020 and a member of the Radius of Arab American Writers (RAWI). His wor ... Show More
27m 27s
Apr 2024
Ihsan Abdel Kouddous, "A Nose and Three Eyes" (Hoopoe, 2024)
Written by iconic Egyptian novelist Ihsan Abdel Kouddous, this classic of love, desire, and family breakdown smashed through taboos when first published in Arabic and continues to captivate audiences today
It is 1950s Cairo and 16-year-old Amina is engaged to a much older man. De ... Show More
39m 3s
May 2022
NAOMI SHIHAB NYE | The Turtle of Oman & Michigan | Book Club
<p>Naomi Shihab Nye talked about her books ‘The Turtle of Oman’ and ‘The Turtle of Michigan<strong>.</strong> The books are about Aref as he travels from Muscat, Oman, to Ann Arbor, Michigan.</p><p>Naomi Shihab Nye was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Her father was a Palestinian ref ... Show More
57m 42s