NPR's Book of the Day

Jung Chang’s memoir Wild Swans, published in 1991, told the story of three generations of women in her family as they survived upheaval in 20th-century China. Now, Chang picks up her family’s story in Fly, Wild Swans, which she was moved to write as her mother’s health failed. In today’s episode, Chang talks with Here & Now’s Scott Tong about her inability to return to China, the biography of Mao she co-authored with her husband, and the Xi era.

To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

The new novel Clutch follows five women who have known each other since college as they navigate the challenges of midlife. Author Emily Nemens recently told NPR’s Juana Summers that she wanted to tell this story through the group chat, which Nemens calls “the vernacular of now.” In today’s episode, they also discuss negligence in relationships, the novel’s head-on approach to abortion rights, and how writing Clutch impacted Nemens’ own friendships.

To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

In preparation for the U.S. Semiquincentennial this summer, we’re featuring two key texts in American history. First, Professor Nora Slonimsky joins NPR’s Sarah McCammon to discuss the legacy and reach of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense – including how we might see Paine as an influencer-like figure. Then, Jill Lepore’s We the People is a new history of the U.S. Constitution. In today’s episode, she speaks with NPR’s Steve Inskeep about historical attempts to reinterpret our law long after the Constitution was first drafted.

To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Adi is a man grieving the death of his young son and the end of his marriage. Following these losses, he comes across a strange job listing, which brings him to a remote island populated by non-native goats. Jonathan Miles’ new novel Eradication follows Adi’s journey as he struggles with a gruesome mission assigned to him. In today’s episode, Miles joins NPR’s Scott Simon for a conversation about Adi’s personal motives and the difficulty of killing animals. 

To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Content warning: this episode contains discussions of sexual abuse.

In 2024, Gisèle Pelicot waived her right to anonymity as the victim during her own rape case in France, demanding a public trial. Soon after, she became an international feminist icon for her self-sacrifice. In A Hymn to Life, Pelicot recounts the unconscionable horrors she suffered at the hands of her husband and 50 other men—but she also establishes herself as a witness rather than simply a victim. In today’s episode, Pelicot joins NPR’s Michel Martin to discuss her new memoir, and her complex relationship with the hope that remains.

To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy