NPR's Book of the Day

'Profiles in Cowardice' argues leaders failed to push back against President Trump

John F. Kennedy once wrote a book called Profiles in Courage, which highlighted senators throughout history who made unpopular but politically brave decisions. Journalist

In 'Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel,' Lucy Foley continues Agatha Christie's legacy

The Grand Alpine Hotel is majestic, nestled high in the Swiss Alps with snow perfect for skiing. But one morning, a dead body is discovered in one of the gondolas on its

'Redwood' is a true tale of a KGB agent who offered to spy for Britain

Ben Macintyre is a master of espionage stories that are true. His latest project is based on a case study taught in MI6, the British foreign intelligence service. Redwood

'Taipei Story' is a more personal novel from 'Yellowface' author R.F. Kuang

R.F. Kuang, author of popular books like Yellowface and Babel, is out with a more personal novel. Taipei Story follows Lily Chin, a Chinese-American college student who t

'Tropesick' and 'Extracurricular' are romance novels that subvert genre expectations

Two new romance novels subvert expectations about the genre. In Tropesick, Katie and Tyler are old acquaintances who are reunited as writing partners. In today’s episode,

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on why he’s the 'worst possible spokesperson' for his own book

Utah Republican Gov. Spencer Cox is out with a new book – but he wants to clarify that he’s not running for president (often an assumption when politicians write books).

Emily St. John Mandel's 'Exit Party' opens in the wake of a second American Civil War

Emily St. John Mandel’s new novel opens in the first spring after the collapse of the United States – and her protagonist, Ari, is on her way to a party. Exit Party is se

'Grit' author Angela Duckworth on how changing your situation can lead to success

In her 2016 book Grit, University of Pennsylvania psychologist Angela Duckworth argued that willpower and determination were keys to success. A decade later, her new book

'Conclave' author Robert Harris is out with a fictional Roman Empire memoir

Conclave author Robert Harris has returned to Rome with a fictional memoir of Agrippa, a military genius and trusted ally of the first Roman Emperor, Augustus. In the mem

In new memoir, Colin Kaepernick reflects on his historic national anthem protest

Ten years ago, Colin Kaepernick – then the quarterback for the 49ers – took a knee during the national anthem in a preseason game in order to protest racial injustice. Hi

'Seasons of Fury' traces the roots of Islamophobia in the United States

In the post-9/11 era, American Muslims became the target of government suspicion and surveillance. But while reporting her new book, New York Times Magazine journalist Ro

Katherine Rundell says it's a mistake for adults to discard children's literature

Katherine Rundell’s Impossible Creatures series follows two kid heroes on their journey to save a group of islands filled with magical beasts. She’s the first children's

'Odyssey' translator Emily Wilson on her book of essays 'Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea'

Emily Wilson is a classicist whose translations of The Iliad and The Odyssey are popular and controversial. Recently, she was at the center of the discourse surrounding C

Marlon James' novel 'The Disappearers' chronicles the aftermath of a violent attack

In 1988, a group of gay men gathered in Kingston, Jamaica to put on a play. At the time, homophobia in the country was rampant and sex between men was outlawed. Marlon Ja

Marking 25 years since Sept. 11 with 'All the Presidents' Wars' and 'Scattered Steel'

On today’s show, we mark the 25th anniversary of Sept. 11 with two books that historicize the attacks. First, All the Presidents’ Wars focuses on anti-terror campaigns wa

Sen. Ted Cruz's new book 'Going Further' praises Justice Clarence Thomas

Sen. Ted Cruz’s new book isn’t a political memoir but an exploration of the life and career of Justice Clarence Thomas. In Going Further, Cruz praises Thomas as an “indep

Author Jade Chang on the books she's reading to keep summer going

For author Jade Chang, the vibe of summer isn’t encapsulated at the pool or by the beach, but in time itself — “and how time kind of stops.” In today’s episode, she joins

To combat the 'Artificial State,' Jill Lepore says to look to science fiction

Jill Lepore says our liberal democracy has been replaced by corporations and technology. But what can we do about it? In today’s episode, the historian joins Morning Edit

Author Liane Moriarty on her long-awaited sequel to 'Big Little Lies'

After the big success of the 2014 novel Big Little Lies, which included an award-winning HBO adaptation, author Liane Moriarty says everyone kept asking her for a sequel.

New music books take on Paul Simon's 'Graceland' and the history of music and prison

In today’s episode, we chat about two new music histories. First, 1986’s Graceland is considered Paul Simon's signature album. It introduced South African music to a glob