Karin Slaughter

Wanda M. Morris

On this week's Fully Booked Takeover, special guest host Karin Slaughter (After That Night, Aug. 22, 2023) interviews crime writer Wanda M. Morris (All Her Little Secrets, Anywhere You Run). Then our editors share their top picks in books for the week.

Fully Booked Takeover: Karin Slaughter x Wanda M. Morris

Arianne Shahvisi joins us to discuss Arguing for a Better World: How Philosophy Can Help Us Fight for Social Justice (Penguin, July 18). Using the tools of philosophy, Shahvisi, a senior lecturer in ethics at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, shows readers how to contemplate, comprehend, and substantiate their moral positions, with the express purpose of fostering understanding in divisive political conversations. Then our editors share their top picks in books for the week.

Arianne Shahvisi

Brando Skyhorse

Brando Skyhorse joins us to discuss My Name Is Iris (Avid Reader Press, Aug 1). Kirkus calls this sophomore novel from the author of The Madonnas of Echo Park, “a well-imagined allegory of divisive racial politics.” Then our editors share their top picks in books for the week.

Megan Abbott

Ivy Pochoda

On this week's Fully Booked Takeover, special guest host Megan Abbott (Beware the Woman) interviews novelist Ivy Pochoda (Sing Her Down). And in a sponsored interview, Megan talks with Preeti Chhibber and Alex Segunda, authors of original Spider-Man stories for young readers from publisher Marvel. Then our editors share their top picks in books for the week.

Fully Booked Takeover: Megan Abbott x Ivy Pochoda

Sarah MacLean

Adriana Herrera

On this week’s Fully Booked Takeover, we’re thrilled to welcome special guest host Sarah MacLean (Knockout, Aug. 2023), in conversation with rising star romance novelist Adriana Herrera (An Island Princess Starts a Scandal). Then our editors share their top picks in books for the week.

Fully Booked Takeover: Sarah MacLean x Adriana Herrera

Jon Klassen

Caldecott medalist Jon Klassen joins us to discuss The Skull (Candlewick, July 11), a brilliant retelling of a Tyrolean folktale from the Canadian-born author/illustrator of I Want My Hat Back, et al. Kirkus: “Employing his customary pitch-perfect tonal gymnastics, only Klassen could inspire readers to want craniums as pals” (starred review). Then our editors share their top picks in books for the week.

Joy McCullough

Joy McCullough joins us to discuss Code Red (Atheneum, June 13), an engaging new middle-grade novel that takes on menstruation, friendship, and activism. “Character-driven, thought-provoking, often funny, and, above all, timely,” Kirkus writes in a starred review. Then our editors share their top picks in books for the week.

Debut novelist K Patrick joins us to discuss Mrs. S (Europa Editions, June 20): “Dark academia meets forbidden love as an English boarding school matron [falls for a] headmaster’s wife…An erotic yet high-minded literary achievement,” Kirkus writes in a starred review. Then our editors share their reading recommendations for the week.

K Patrick

Owen King

Jacqueline Holland

On this week’s inaugural Fully Booked Takeover, we’re thrilled to welcome special guest host Owen King (The Curator, etc.), in conversation with debut novelist Jacqueline Holland (The God of Endings). Then our editors share their top picks in books for the week.

Fully Booked Takeover: Owen King x Jacqueline Holland

On our second annual Pride Episode of the podcast, Amelia Possanza joins us to discuss Lesbian Love Story: A Memoir in Archives (Catapult, May 30) Kirkus: “Detailed and immensely readable, this is a generous history of lesbian love” (starred review). Then our editors highlight some of their favorite books by LGBTQIA+ authors.

2023 Pride Epsiode with Amelia Possanza

Get the ultimate insider's scoop on the best new books. The editors at Kirkus Reviews interview your favorite authors, tell you whether or not the books on the bestseller list are worth the read, give you behind-the-scenes insights, and introduce you to great books you may otherwise never find.

A great variety of interesting guests, but Kirkus needs to listen to the episodes.  Hysterical laughter, in inappropriate places, is just annoying.

Great series, but...

This podcast is nice and refreshing! They have great authors and

A great podcast!

Fully Booked by Kirkus Reviews

Lucy Worsley

One need not be a royalist to enjoy Lucy Worsley’s radiant new biography of Queen Victoria, the “hard-working, energetic, [and] resilient” woman who saved the status of the British monarchy. Worsley, an English historian, author, curator, and television presenter, joins us on this week’s Fully Booked for a spirited discussion of Queen Victoria: Twenty-Four Days That Changed Her Life, and our editors name their most anticipated books and trends of 2019.

Ross Gay

Inspired by an invigorating walk in Italy, award-winning poet Ross Gay set an intention to write on delight each day for one year. He joins us on this week’s “Rebels Issue” episode to discuss The Book of Delights, a collection of essays contending with the sweet and bitter of everyday life, from plants, animals, politics, and racism to pop music, dreams, and expressions of joy. And our editors offer their top picks in revolutionary books with the power to change hearts and minds.

Laura Lippman

On this week’s episode, Megan interviews modern noir superstar Laura Lippman, whose latest standalone novel, Lady in the Lake, is inspired by two real-life crimes committed in 1960s Baltimore: the unsolved drowning of 35-year-old Shirley Parker and the murder of 11-year-old Esther Lebowitz. They talk opening sentences, the transgressive nature of watching, Lippman’s recent Washington Post piece (“Is it ok for white authors to write black characters? I’m trying.”), and more. Then our editors offer their weekly reading recommendations, with books by Blair Thornburgh, Cassandra Clare et al, Jeff Gordinier, and Linda Holmes.

Ibram X. Kendi

New York Times bestselling author Ibram X. Kendi joins us on this week’s episode to discuss How to Be an Antiracist, a powerful primer for combatting racism. Kendi, who is founding director of the Antiracist Research and Policy Center at American University, uses his own journey from racist to antiracist to show how anyone can choose their words and deeds to actively participate in building an antiracist society. And in a sponsored interview, NYT Children’s Books Editor Maria Russo joins us to discuss How to Raise a Reader, a genial guide for bibliophilic parents written with NYTBR Editor Pamela Paul. Then our editors join with their reading recommendations for the week, including books by David Yoon, Cara Wall, and Petina Gappah.

Julia Phillips

In Julia Phillips’ stunning debut novel, Disappearing Earth, two sisters are taken from a seaside city on a summer day, affecting the lives of women and girls in diverse communities throughout Russia’s majestic Kamchatka Peninsula. She joins us on this week’s podcast to discuss her “unusual, cleverly constructed thriller” (starred review) and race, class, and culture in the Russian Far East. Then our editors join with their top picks in books this week.

Leigh Bardugo

#1 New York Times-bestselling YA author Leigh Bardugo joins us on this week’s episode to discuss her hotly anticipated adult debut, Ninth House, a literary fantasy set in a spooky world not unlike New Haven, Connecticut... Starring Galaxy “Alex” Stern, a high school dropout from LA who’s recruited to oversee the occult activities of Yale University’s secret societies, Ninth House is a “compulsively readable novel [that] leaves a portal ajar for equally dazzling sequels,” Kirkus writes (*starred review*). Then our editors join with their reading recommendations for the week, including books by Jason Reynolds, Kim Liggett, Malcolm Gladwell, and Margaret Atwood.

Isaac Mizrahi

The incomparable Isaac Mizrahi - fashion designer, performer, talk show host, crossword puzzle aficionado, visionary - joins us on this week’s episode to discuss his generous and funny new memoir, I.M. Then our editors join with their top picks in books this week.

Karen Kilgariff

Georgia Hardstark

On this very special episode of Fully Booked, podcast royalty Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark (“My Favorite Murder”) join us to discuss their joint memoir, Stay Sexy &amp; Don’t Get Murdered: The Definitive How-To Guide, a book that’s funny &amp; fearsome &amp; close to the bone. Then our editors present their top picks in books this week.

Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark- hosts of "My Favorite Murder" 

Rick Atkinson

In a special segment recorded live at Austin Central Public Library, Clay interviews Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Rick Atkinson, author of the Liberation Trilogy (An Army at Dawn, etc.), about the first book in his new Revolution Trilogy, The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-11777. Then our editors offer their reading recommendations for the week, including books by Katherine Johnson, Rory Power, Bill Streever, and Ocean Vuong.

John Burnham

John Burnham Schwartz joins us on this week’s episode to discuss The Red Daughter, a novel inspired by the remarkable life of Svetlana Alliluyeva, Joseph Stalin’s youngest child, whose 1967 defection from the Soviet Union to the United States caused an international uproar. A surprising personal connection gave Schwartz unprecedented access to historical documents that helped him tell her intriguing story. After the interview, our editors join with their top book recommendations for the week.

John Burnham Schwartz

12/24 Episode: Happy holidays, listeners! On this week’s episode, editor-in-chief Tom Beer joins host Megan Labrise for the Fully Booked Year-in-Review, reintroducing two of their favorite interviews from 2019. First up is National Book Award winner Susan Choi (Trust Exercise), followed by visionary fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi (I.M.: A Memoir). Then our editors join with a look back at the spiciest book world scandals of the year. Trust us: you won’t want to miss it.

2019 Fully Booked Year-in-Review

The best podcast episodes on global issues affecting everyone. Covering topics such as the #metoo movement, climate change, the impact of technology and some of the biggest global issues facing us right now. For anyone interested in learning more about the world, and some of the issues we're facing, pick an episode below and start listening! Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Episodes on Global Issues

The best self improvement podcast episodes. From improving productivity, to finding purpose in your life to what constitutes freedom, this topic is on anything and everything that can help people to improve their lives. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!