The Lit Hub Podcast

It was foretold... and now it is here! Yes, that's right: some audio most-anticipated action, featuring some Lit Hub staffers on books that they're super-duper excited about for the back half of 2026. Hope you're all having a nice summer!Lit Hub's Most Anticipated Books of 2026, Part Two (Lit Hub)"The End of Reading is Here" by Rose Horowitch (The Atlantic)The Lit Hub Podcast is a production of Literary HubHosted and produced by Drew BroussardTheme music by Dani LencioniSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tomorrow is Independent Bookstore Day! (If you're listening to this on release day, anyway.) So, in the spirit of heading out to support your local indie(s), we have a very indie-forward episode for you this month. First, Philomena Polefrone from the ABA stops by to explain HR 7661 (the national book ban bill) and why supporting indie bookstores and libraries is more important now than it has ever been! Then, Meg Reid of Hub City Press drops in to chat about more affordable options for hardcovers (namely: paper-over-boards!) and more thoughts on book design from the frontlines of publishing AND bookselling. And finally, Drew delivers a little recommendation corner as well as an update on the future of the pod.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Slop-pocalypse now! Oh yes, folks, the AI nonsense continues to accelerate and Drew has some feelings about it and why you (yes you!) should also be a stick in the mud about it. Then, Sara Yasin joins James Folta to talk about launching The Key, the new lit magazine produced by the Palestine Festival of Literature. Calvin Kasulke also drops by to chat with Drew about Lit Hub's post-Pamela-Paul-corrective of thirteen book reviews that should have run at the NYTBR during the noted transphobe's tenure. To close it out, Casey Scieszka (author of The Fountain) reads her essay "When the Fountain Runs Dry" and Oliver Scialdone recommends diving into Filthy Loot Press.IN THIS EP:* "Horror Novel "Shy Girl" Cancelled Over Suspected AI Use"* "The People Getting Falsely Accused of Using AI"* The Key* "What Was Lost: A Queer Accounting of the New York Times Book Review, 2013-2022"* "Good-bye Pamela Paul"* "When the Fountain Runs Dry: On Aging, Immortality, and the Illusion of Everlasting Youth" * Filthy Loot PressSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's the end of February already! Thank goodness! Drew's reporting in from Pittsburgh, at the annual conference hosted by the American Booksellers Association, and boy oh boy do we have a lot of bookish goodness for you, including...* the weirdness of early-year reading* a conversation between Lit Hub's Brittany Allen and Colette Delawalla (CEO of Stand Up for Science) about the Trump Administration's ongoing attempts to gut NASA's research library* Drew chatting with bookseller Fisher Nash (of Carmichael's in Louisville KY) about the state of bookselling and the wildness of Winter Institute (the aforementioned conference)* a voicemail from Adam Colman sharing insights into the new season of The Cosmic Library (hint: it involves Proust!)* Michael Welch on "What We Lose When Our Independent Bookstores Close"* and a book recommendation from Lit Hub's James Folta!See you in March!-----The Lit Hub Podcast is hosted and produced by Drew BroussardThe Lit Hub Podcast theme was written and performed by Dani Lencioni of EvelynThe Lit Hub Podcast is a production of Literary Hub and a part of the Lit Hub Radio networkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When we launched The Lit Hub Podcast in 2024, we promised you a weekly dive into the behind-the-scenes of the literary world—and what a series of weeks it has been! But 2026 looks a lot different than 2024, in so many ways, and so we're going to try something new. Starting this month (February!) we're shifting the podcast release schedule to monthly, on the last Friday of the month. It'll be the same vibe you've come to know and love, but you can expect longer episodes, with more staff voices and in-depth explorations—a monthly, instead of weekly, digest of what's been happening at the site and in the larger book-world. Thanks so much for listening so far, and we'll see you at the end of the month!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

No episode this week, in solidarity with what we genuinely hope will be something approaching an actual widespread general strike. May you get up to some good trouble—take care of your neighbors, be good to one another!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, Nick Ripatrazone joins Drew to talk about how generative AI is taking away the very dignity of life and why the process is the point of art-making. Then, Aaron Tracy stops by for a chat about his new show, The Secret World of Roald Dahl, and what it has been like to revisit the beloved childhood author as a grown-up. Also, golly it's a weird bad time still! It's okay if you're having a hard time with it all, because honestly we are too. PS: it is time to get the bread & milk!!!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Happy new year! Or, at least, happy new year-of-books! To kick off the year, which is due to be a truly colossal one on the reading front, members of the Lit Hub staff are here to bring you some choice excerpts from our 300+ title Most Anticipated list! SO MANY BOOKS!(oh hey also: fuck ICE, xoxo) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Squeaking in one more episode for the year, and we promise it's a real treat!Kat Abughazaleh (Democratic candidate for the IL-09) talks with Lit Hub's James Folta about why, if elected, she wants to be sworn in on Octavia E. Butler's Parable of the Sower and the absolute joys of reading science-fiction, particularly (but also very much not limited to) Becky Chambers and Pierce Brown. Then, a holiday tradition is cemented: Jonny Diamond reads "A Visit From St. Nicholas" by Clement-Clarke Moore!Happy end-of-year, welcome Yule, see you in 2026—may it be better and brighter than 2025!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It's the end of the year! Which means: best-of lists, abounding. Maybe you've seen our Favorite Books of 2025 list, or our Best (Old) Books We Read in 2025 list, or the 100 Notable Small Press Books of 2025 list spearheaded by Miriam Gershow? Whether or not you've combed the lists, we've got some staff here to share some of their favorite reads from 2025 and then a chat with Miriam about putting together this ambitious Small Press list!(If you want to participate in the 2026 Small Press list, more details at Miriam's site here!)A very happy holidays to all of you from all of us — what a great year in reading, and what an even better year we've got coming up in 2026!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.