logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2022
56m 15s

The 10 Best Books of 2022

The New York Times
About this episode
On a special new episode of the podcast, taped live, editors and critics from the Books desk discuss this year’s outstanding fiction and nonfiction. 
Up next
Jan 16
The Books We're Excited About in Early 2026
A new year means new books are on the way! So many new books. On this week’s episode, host Gilbert Cruz talks with fellow Book Review editors Joumana Khatib and MJ Franklin about the upcoming fiction and nonfiction titles they’re most anticipating between now and April.Here are t ... Show More
45m 45s
Jan 9
'The Correspondent' Author Virginia Evans On Her Breakout Year
Virginia Evans’s debut novel, “The Correspondent,” was published last April and became one of the publishing industry’s heartwarming champions of 2025: a slow-burn success story that gathered momentum over the summer and fall and finally topped the New York Times hardcover best-s ... Show More
40m 6s
Dec 27
Book Club: Let’s Talk About ‘What We Can Know’
Ian McEwan’s latest novel, “What We Can Know,” is many things at once: It’s a science fiction imagining of a future world devastated by climate catastrophe; it’s a literary mystery about a scholar’s search for a long-lost poem; it’s a deep dive into complicated marriages; and it’ ... Show More
51m 31s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2019
One Great Book Trailer
We have a new podcast! WSIRN is about helping readers find their next read. In each episode, the recommendations are geared toward a particular reader’s style, and Anne always looks for titles they haven’t read before. Our new podcast is a short format show called One Great Book. ... Show More
4m 19s
Apr 2019
Ep 178: The Next Right Thing for your reading life
Decision-making is a HUGE part of WSIRN's purpose. Podcaster and author Emily P. Freeman is an expert in the art of decision-making (she’s literally written the book on it), but when assigned school reading hijacked alllllll her personal reading time... deciding what to read next ... Show More
56m 2s
Apr 2023
Our Top 3 Favorite Books!
The girls kick off the first episode by sharing each of their top 3 favorite books. They also introduce themselves and the story behind starting the podcast as well as introducing the very first book club book. If you're looking for a good book recommendation, this episode is for ... Show More
36m 54s
Apr 2019
Ep 179: Life is short & my TBR is way too long
Alabama reader Shannan Malone has broad taste and high standards, and when it comes to new releases, even authors she’s loved in the past don’t get a free pass… the new book has to earn her love. So today’s episode goes out to all you eclectic readers who love hopping between gen ... Show More
45m 12s
Nov 2019
Ep 210: Book gifts are the BEST gifts
Break out the wrapping paper, because our yearly WSIRN holiday recommendation episode is here! Listeners wrote and called in to let us know who they wanted to give the gift of reading to this Winter, and today, Anne is joined by Holland Saltsman of The Novel Neighbor in St Louis ... Show More
57m 7s
Sep 2019
Ep 202: The art (and awfulness) of the cliffhanger
In today's double-feature, Anne chats books with sisters Mia & Micah. But unlike most of our episodes with multiple guests, they aren’t looking to find titles they’ll enjoy together. Mia & Micah already read the same books frequently, so we’re looking to individualize their readi ... Show More
55m 53s
Apr 2021
#19 Book Recommendations - The Books You Must Read!
Today’s episode is highly highly demanded. If you only know how many times I been asked where can one find a summary of the book recommendations from the guests interviewed on this podcast ;-).So …. Considering that world book day is coming this week, I thought it will be a good ... Show More
27m 37s
Oct 2019
Ep 204: Nonfiction that reads like a thrilling novel
Today Anne talks books with David Krohse, an Iowa reader who’s woven a love of literature into all aspects of his life — the waiting room of his chiropractic practice, the bar with a group friends, and quality time spent with his wife. David loves larger than life nonfiction, esp ... Show More
42m 12s
Dec 2021
A trip to our secret book vault. Plus: the best books of 2021
This weekend, we’re going behind the scenes of the FT’s legendary Books of the Year roundup. Literary editor Frederick Studemann and deputy books editor Laura Battle take us into a secret room in the basement of the FT, where all the books sent in for review are kept behind lock ... Show More
24m 24s
Jan 2023
Ep. 131: The Best Backlist Books We Read in 2022 with Catherine (@GilmoreGuide)
<p><strong>In Episode 131, Catherine (@gilmoreguide) and I share the best backlist books we read in 2022. We each share our top 5 backlist books from 2022, some underrated backlist gems, and our backlist reading stats. Catherine and I both had a successful year of backlist readin ... Show More
54m 37s