Épisodes

  • In Sara Levine’s novel 'The Hitch,' a corgi’s soul enters a little boy’s body

    In Sara Levine’s novel 'The Hitch,' a corgi’s soul enters a little boy’s body
    Feb 3 2026
    When Rose’s 6-year-old nephew arrives for a week-long visit, she has a lot of expectations for how their time together will go. Instead, the boy’s soul ends up possessed by … a corgi. This zany twist is the setup for Sara Levine’s novel The Hitch, which she calls a blend of horror, comedy and metaphysics. In today’s episode, Levine speaks with Here & Now’s Indira Lakshmanan about parenting, writing a shapeshifter character, and crafting a novel where divergent interpretations are possible.


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    10 min
  • Angela Tomaski’s debut novel takes readers on a tour of an English manor in decline

    Angela Tomaski’s debut novel takes readers on a tour of an English manor in decline
    Feb 2 2026
    In Angela Tomaski’s debut novel, an old English manor has just been sold and is on the brink of conversion into a hotel. The Infamous Gilberts tells the story of the crumbling building, and the people who once lived there through the objects that inhabit it. In today’s episode, Tomaski joins NPR’s Scott Simon for a conversation about the family at the center of her story – and the secrets held by the story’s narrator.


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    9 min
  • Romance authors Emily Henry, Beverly Jenkins, and others on the state of their genre

    Romance authors Emily Henry, Beverly Jenkins, and others on the state of their genre
    Jan 30 2026
    To wrap up our pre-Valentine’s Day week of reads, we revisit two roundtable discussions with contemporary romance authors. First, Here & Now’s Celeste Headlee speaks with Helen Hoang and Emily Henry about the state of the genre – and how the authors approach writing sex scenes. Then, Here & Now’s Kalyani Saxena moderates a conversation between Beverly Jenkins, Jasmine Guillory, and Ali Hazelwood in front of a crowd of romance fans at WBUR’s CitySpace.


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    22 min
  • A meet-cute followed by real life: 'Party of Two' is about love in the real world

    A meet-cute followed by real life: 'Party of Two' is about love in the real world
    Jan 29 2026
    Romance writer Jasmine Guillory writes beautiful love stories – but that doesn't mean they aren't based in reality. Her novel Party of Two, from the summer of 2020, is about a Black woman and a white man who have a meet-cute and start a casual long-distance relationship. But race does have an impact on their connection because of the different ways the world has received them. Guillory told former NPR host Lulu Garcia-Navarro that real-life couples have these conversations, so her characters should too.


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    8 min
  • Looking back at 'Normal People,' before Sally Rooney’s rise to fame

    Looking back at 'Normal People,' before Sally Rooney’s rise to fame
    Jan 28 2026
    In 2019, Sally Rooney was promoting Normal People, the novel that would become her breakout hit. The book inspired a popular Hulu adaptation and positioned the author as one of the leading literary voices of her generation. In today’s episode, we revisit an interview between Rooney and NPR’s Rachel Martin, in which they reflect on the shifting nature of the novel’s central relationship.


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    8 min
  • 'Emergency Contact' explores love in the age of modern technology

    'Emergency Contact' explores love in the age of modern technology
    Jan 27 2026
    Content warning: this episode contains discussions of sexual assault.


    It’s not breaking news that technology has seeped into modern dating culture. Screens make it easier for us to meet people, but does this convenience trigger a loss of genuine connection? In Mary H.K. Choi’s Emergency Contact, two young lovers are put to the test when their devices become an unwanted third party in their relationship. In today’s episode, Choi joins NPR’s Lulu Navarro for a conversation about her debut novel, and how teenagers can seek meaningful connections with each other beyond a phone screen.


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    8 min
  • Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan on 'Remain,' their supernatural romance novel

    Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan on 'Remain,' their supernatural romance novel
    Jan 26 2026
    Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan are authors known worldwide for their contributions to the genres of romance and horror. But in 2025, they brought these genres together for a collaborative book and movie project titled Remain. In today’s episode, we kick off Book of the Day’s 2026 romance week with a discussion between Sparks, Shyamalan, and NPR’s Leila Fadel. The two join Fadel at NPR’s New York Bureau to talk about their co-authored novel, its inspirations, and the heartfelt, supernatural roots of storytelling itself.


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    8 min
  • New books argue that far-off goals and humor can help shift daily routines

    New books argue that far-off goals and humor can help shift daily routines
    Jan 23 2026
    January is the month for people to take stock of their habits and routines – and two new books offer unconventional approaches to shaking up our lives. First, Mark Medley’s Live to See the Day is about the pursuit of far-fetched goals. He spoke with NPR’s A Martínez about what we can learn from no-hope political candidates, amateur creature-hunters, and dreamers. Then, comedian Chris Duffy’s Humor Me asks readers to find the funny alongside the grim. In today’s episode, he tells NPR’s Sacha Pfeiffer about the inspiration for the book, which came from his experience as a teacher.

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    16 min