Episodes

  • S11 E18: Kate Bowler, Annie Leonard, Andre Carothers, and Libby Ward

    S11 E18: Kate Bowler, Annie Leonard, Andre Carothers, and Libby Ward
    Apr 28 2026
    In this episode, meet the host of the Everything Happens podcast Kate Bowler, co-authors Annie Leonard and Andre Carothers, and speaker and advocate Libby Ward. Tune in to hear Kate Bowler on accessing joy without having to be “fixed,” hear Annie Leonard and Andre Carothers on the civic concerns that prompted them to write their book on the power of protest, and hear Libby Ward on helping moms feel less alone and more whole in motherhood. Joyful, Anyway by Kate Bowler: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/764086/joyful-anyway-by-kate-bowler/audio Protest by Annie Leonard and Andre Carothers: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/835338/protest-by-annie-leonard-and-andre-carothers/audio Honest Motherhood by Libby Ward: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/749972/honest-motherhood-by-libby-ward/audio
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    19 mins
  • S11 E17: David Ariosto, Roxanne Khamsi, and Dr. Trisha Pasricha

    S11 E17: David Ariosto, Roxanne Khamsi, and Dr. Trisha Pasricha
    Apr 21 2026
    In this episode, meet journalist and space industry analyst David Ariosto, science journalist Roxanne Khamsi, and physician and medical journalist Dr. Trisha Pasricha. Tune in to hear about the documentary filmmaking trip that inspired David Ariosto’s book, hear Roxanne Khamsi on how she prepared for her time in the recording studio, and learn the surprising statistics that inspired Dr. Trisha Pasricha’s research into better bowel movements for all. Open Space by David Ariosto https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/708833/open-space-by-david-ariosto/9798217165711/ Beyond Inheritance by Roxanne Khamsi https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/711682/beyond-inheritance-by-roxanne-khamsi/9798217281626/ You've Been Pooping All Wrong by Dr. Trisha Pasricha's https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/776380/youve-been-pooping-all-wrong-by-trisha-pasricha-md-mph/9798217285686/
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    18 mins
  • S11 E16: 2026 National Library Week Special Compilation

    S11 E16: 2026 National Library Week Special Compilation
    Apr 17 2026
    National Library Week 2026 is April 19-25, and it's the perfect time to share our love of libraries and our deep appreciation for the librarians who work to make them the vibrant and welcoming places that they are. In this special compilation episode of This Is the Author, hear Mychal Threets, Arthur C. Brooks, Tom Junod, Elizabeth Berg, Erin McGoff, Angela Buchdahl, Zachary Rubin, Dominic Hoffman, Chuck Klosterman, C .Thi Nguyen, and Susan Orlean share what they love most about their local libraries.
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    6 mins
  • S11 E15: Nidhi Tewari, Arthur C. Brooks, and Julia Minson

    S11 E15: Nidhi Tewari, Arthur C. Brooks, and Julia Minson
    Apr 14 2026
    In this episode, meet therapist Nidhi Tewari, professor Arthur C. Brooks, and professor and behavioral scientist Julia Minson. Tune in to hear the science behind Nidhi Tewari’s deep dive into workplace burnout, discover what Arthur C. Brooks is most excited for listeners to hear in his audiobook, and hear Julia Minson on the art of disagreement – and why she loves listening to audiobooks on a long drive. Working Well by Nidhi Tewari, MSW, LCSW: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/788782/working-well-by-nidhi-tewari-msw-lcsw-foreword-by-amy-cuddy/audio The Meaning of Your Life by Arthur C. Brooks: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/724315/the-meaning-of-your-life-by-arthur-c-brooks/audio How to Disagree Better by Julia Minson: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/774525/how-to-disagree-better-by-julia-minson/audio
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    18 mins
  • S11 E14: Fab 5 Freddy, Tom Junod, and Luke Barr

    S11 E14: Fab 5 Freddy, Tom Junod, and Luke Barr
    Apr 7 2026
    In this episode, meet artist and hip-hop pioneer Fab 5 Freddy, journalist Tom Junod, and food writer Luke Barr. Tune in to hear how writing his memoir gave Fab 5 Freddy a way to share the context behind 40 years of living at the nexus of art and culture. Hear Tom Junod on the need to find a definition of masculinity other than what he had been taught as a child. And go behind the mic with Luke Barr as he explains what inspired his latest book on French cooking. Everybody's Fly by Fab 5 Freddy https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/775871/everybodys-fly-by-fab-5-freddy-with-mark-rozzo/9798217281770/ In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man by Tom Junod https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/89092/in-the-days-of-my-youth-i-was-told-what-it-means-to-be-a-man-by-tom-junod/9798217174065/ The Secret History of French Cooking by Luke Barr https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/602455/the-secret-history-of-french-cooking-by-luke-barr/9798217285600/
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    14 mins
  • S11 E13: Berner, Erin McGoff, and Camonghne Felix

    S11 E13: Berner, Erin McGoff, and Camonghne Felix
    Apr 1 2026
    In this episode, meet hip-hop artist and Cookies CEO Berner, founder of AdviceWithErin Erin McGoff, and poet and essayist Camonghne Felix. Tune in to hear what inspired Berner to write his book, Erin McGoff on her mission to help people advocate for themselves in the workplace, and Camonghne Felix on the activism and organizing experiences that inspire her work. Becoming Legend by Berner: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/778154/becoming-legend-by-berner/audio/ The Secret Language of Work by Erin McGoff: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/784182/the-secret-language-of-work-by-erin-mcgoff/audio Let the Poets Govern by Camonghne Felix: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/671601/let-the-poets-govern-by-camonghne-felix/audio
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    11 mins
  • S11 E12: Alicia Jo Rabins, Nir Eyal, and Jay Stringer

    S11 E12: Alicia Jo Rabins, Nir Eyal, and Jay Stringer
    Mar 24 2026
    In this episode, meet writer and musician Alicia Jo Rabins, writer and lecturer Nir Eyal, and mental health counselor Jay Stringer. Tune in to hear how spiritual memoirs inspired Alicia Jo Rabins’s writing, how Nir Eyal applied the practices outlined in his book to narrating his audiobook, and how Jay Stringer drew inspiration from his ancestors to write his book on human desire. When We're Born We Forget Everything by Alicia Jo Rabins https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/774429/when-were-born-we-forget-everything-by-alicia-jo-rabins/9798217174249/ Beyond Belief by Nir Eyal https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/761993/beyond-belief-by-nir-eyal-with-julie-li/9780593852033/ Desire by Jay Stringer https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/742247/desire-by-jay-stringer/9798217064991/
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    18 mins
  • S11 E11: Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Jordy Rosenberg, and Elizabeth Berg

    S11 E11: Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Jordy Rosenberg, and Elizabeth Berg
    Mar 17 2026
    In this episode, meet actor Andrew Keenan-Bolger, writer and professor Jordy Rosenberg, and novelist Elizabeth Berg. Hear about the queer history that inspired Andrew Keenan Bolger’s book, the real-life people that informed Jordy Rosenberg’s fictional characters, and the estate sale that began Elizabeth’s Berg’s inquiry into the meaning of life. Limelight by Andrew Keenan-Bolger: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/768589/limelight-by-andrew-keenan-bolger/audio Night Night Fawn by Jordy Rosenberg: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/689017/night-night-fawn-by-jordy-rosenberg/audio Life: A Love Story by Elizabeth Berg: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/710166/life-a-love-story-by-elizabeth-berg/
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    19 mins