Johnny Lorenz

Crooked Plow by Itamar Vieira Júnior, translated by Johnny Lorenz by Poets &amp; Writers

Crooked Plow by Itamar Vieira Júnior, translated by Johnny Lorenz

HENRY HOKE

Open Throat by Henry Hoke by Poets &amp; Writers

Open Throat by Henry Hoke

Terrance Hayes

So to Speak by Terrance Hayes by Poets &amp; Writers

So to Speak by Terrance Hayes

Madison Davis

The Loved Ones: Essays to Bury the Dead by Madison Davis by Poets &amp; Writers

The Loved Ones: Essays to Bury the Dead by Madison Davis

Tommy Archuleta

Susto by Tommy Archuleta by Poets &amp; Writers

Susto by Tommy Archuleta

Samantha Irby

Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby by Poets &amp; Writers

Quietly Hostile by Samantha Irby

Jane Plante

Any Other City by Hazel Jane Plante by Poets &amp; Writers

Any Other City by Hazel Jane Plante

Matthew Zapruder

Story of a Poem by Matthew Zapruder by Poets &amp; Writers

Story of a Poem by Matthew Zapruder

Brandon Taylor

The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor by Poets &amp; Writers

The Late Americans by Brandon Taylor

Paisley Rekdal

West: A Translation by Paisley Rekdal by Poets &amp; Writers

West: A Translation by Paisley Rekdal

Listen to authors reading from their new books of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction featured in Page One: Where New and Noteworthy Books Begin.

Really great podcast that has its finger firmly on the pulse of contemporary lit. I highly recommend checking it out!

& is an A+

I’m so glad I found this. Hands down my new favorite podcast. Thank you.

The podcast I didn’t know I needed

Ampersand: The Poets & Writers Podcast

Cameron Awkward-Rich reads from his second poetry collection, Dispatch.

Dispatch by Cameron Awkward-Rich

Sharon Olds reads “Meeting a Stranger” from her poetry collection Arias, published by Alfred A. Knopf in October.

Arias by Sharon Olds

Helen Oyeyemi

Helen Oyeyemi reads from her new novel, Gingerbread, published in March by Riverhead Books. Audio excerpted courtesy of Penguin Random House Audio.

Gingerbread by Helen Oyeyemi

Kevin Coval

Kevin Coval reads “Rudy” and “Everything Must Go” from his poetry collection Everything Must Go, published in October by Haymarket Books. Illustrated by Langston Allston.

Everything Must Go by Kevin Coval

Jane Hirshfield

Kaveh Akbar

Poets Kaveh Akbar, Eve Ewing, and Layli Long Soldier read from their debut books; Jane Hirshfield on reconnecting to your writing; Steve Almond on unlikable characters; Jay Baron Nicorvo on writing and post-traumatic stress disorder; and more.

Ampersand Episode 17: Jane Hirshfield, Kaveh Akbar, Layli Long Soldier

Garth Greenwell

Garth Greenwell reads from his novel-in-stories, Cleanness.

Cleanness by Garth Greenwell

Colson Whitehead

Colson Whitehead on his National Book Award–winning novel, The Underground Railroad, and writing after the election. Plus readings by Roxane Gay, Ocean Vuong, Safiya Sinclair, and Tommy Pico.

Ampersand Episode 11: Colson Whitehead, Roxane Gay, Debut Poets

George Saunders

Patricia Smith

Juan Felipe Herrera

George Saunders on his novel, Lincoln in the Bardo; U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera on the importance of poetry in the current political climate; Patricia Smith and Elena Passarello read from their new books.

Ampersand Episode 12: George Saunders, Patricia Smith, Juan Felipe Herrera

Rebecca Solnit

Ada Limón reads from her new poetry collection, The Carrying; Rebecca Solnit reads from her new essay collection, Call Them by Their True Names.

Ampersand Episode 21: Ada Limón, Rebecca Solnit

Lauren Groff

Lauren Groff reads from her new book, Florida; Terrance Hayes reads from American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin; plus readings by Hanif Abdurraqib and A. M. Homes.

Ampersand Episode 20: Lauren Groff, Terrance Hayes, A. M. Homes

Cori A. Winrock reads from her poetry collection Little Envelope of Earth Conditions.

Little Envelope of Earth Conditions by Cori A. Winrock

David Sedaris

Clint Smith

Victoria Chang

David Sedaris reads from Theft by Finding; Clint Smith reads from his profile of Kevin Young; Kiki Petrosino reads from her poetry collection Witch Wife; Victoria Chang reads from her poetry collection Barbie Chang; and more.

Ampersand Episode 16: David Sedaris, Clint Smith, Victoria Chang

Leslie Jamison

Leesa Cross-Smith

Carmen Giménez Smith

Leslie Jamison reads from her new book, The Recovering; Leesa Cross-Smith on writing quiet books; new poetry by Carmen Giménez Smith and Jenny Xie.

Ampersand Episode 19: Leslie Jamison, Carmen Giménez Smith, Leesa Cross-Smith

Ruchika Tomar

Audio excerpted courtesy Penguin Random House Audio from A Prayer for Travelers by Ruchika Tomar, narrated by Sophie Amoss.

A Prayer for Travelers by Ruchika Tomar

Su Hwang

Su Hwang reads “Show Me Where It Hurts” from her debut poetry collection, Bodega, published in October by Milkweed Editions.

Bodega by Su Hwang

Michael Chabon

Michael Chabon on his new novel, Moonglow; readings by Brit Bennett and devorah major; Shakespearean Sonnets in the streets of NYC; and more.

Ampersand Episode 10: Michael Chabon & Brit Bennett

Leslie Jamison reads from her new essay collection, Make It Scream, Make It Burn, published in September by Little, Brown.

Make It Scream, Make It Burn by Leslie Jamison

Tiffany Midge

Tiffany Midge reads “An Open Letter to White Girls Regarding Pumpkin Spice and Cultural Appropriation,” from her memoir Bury My Heart at Chuck E. Cheese’s, published in October by Bison Books.

Bury My Heart at Chuck E. Cheese’s by Tiffany Midge

Fatimah Asghar

Ross Gay

Ross Gay reads from The Book of Delights; debut poets Justin Phillip Reed, Fatimah Asghar, José Olivarez, and Analicia Sotelo read from their collections; Cowboy Poetry; and more.

Ampersand Episode 23: Ross Gay, Justin Phillip Reed, Fatimah Asghar

Patty Crane

Patty Crane reads from her debut poetry collection, Bell I Wake To.

Bell I Wake To by Patty Crane

The best podcast episodes of the most interesting stories and things. From skyping someone while they're in space, to tracking down and meeting a telephone scammer in person, to the story of a Galapagos. These episodes will keep you and all your friends entertained and captivated for hours. Learn something new in every episode! Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Episodes: Interesting Stories & Things

What is this?
1 quote, 3 ideas & 1 question from a carefully curated podcast episode.
Every Monday & Wednesday.

Want a 3rd insight and episode every week? Email me at curation@owltail.com.