This Is The Author

S5 Ep 37: In this episode, meet Wes Moore, Christine Montross, and Eddie S. Glaude Jr. Whether examining a city’s response to police violence, revealing the connection between psychological vulnerability and incarceration, or using the life and works of a visionary thinker to shine a light on race in America, each of these authors unearths complicated truths about their subjects while revealing even deeper societal implications. Listen in as they describe what it was like to record their audiobooks. Plus, find out who has a “morning voice” and an “after lunch voice.” Five Days by Wes Moore with Erica L. Green: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/588769/five-days/ Waiting for an Echo by Christine Montross: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/315949/waiting-for-an-echo/ Begin Again by Eddie S. Glaude Jr.: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/575725/begin-again/

S5 Ep 36: In this episode, meet Tenzin Priyadarshi, Tammy Mastroberte, and Galen Guengerich. A spiritual path is rarely straight forward, and each one of these authors has written about how experiences in their own lives, together with help from important guides and mentors, have lead them to where they are today. Listen in to hear them talk about recording their audiobooks. Plus, find out which author speaks five languages, but feels most comfortable in silence. Running Toward Mystery by Tenzin Priyadarshi and Zara Houshmand: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/605250/running-toward-mystery/ The Universe is Talking to You by Tammy Mastroberte: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/646565/the-universe-is-talking-to-you/ The Way of Gratitude by Galen Guengerich: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/576834/the-way-of-gratitude/

S5 Ep 35: In this episode, meet the three hosts of The LadyGang podcast: Keltie Knight, Becca Tobin, and Jac Vanek. In the Gang’s audiobook Act Like A Lady, they each share blissfully BS-free anecdotes from their lives so that you don’t feel so alone when you think about… whatever-it-was-you-did-that-one-time. Listen in to hear the Gang’s behind-the-mic realizations that only recording their audiobook revealed, plus get their most recent listening recommendations. Act Like a Lady by Keltie Knight, Becca Tobin and Jac Vanek: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/617780/act-like-a-lady/

S5 Ep 33: In this episode, meet Michael Pollan, Judith Warner, and Conor Knighton. These three authors use their audiobooks to take listeners on journeys of discovery: discovery about the food we eat, about how adolescence shapes adulthood and how we parent, and discovery about National Parks throughout the country. And while all of these authors are avid audiobook listeners themselves, discover which one says that being able to record their own audiobook was just as thrilling as getting their first book published. Food Rules by Michael Pollan: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/305288/food-rules/ And Then They Stopped Talking to Me by Judith Warner: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/534339/and-then-they-stopped-talking-to-me/ Leave Only Footprints by Conor Knighton: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/600367/leave-only-footprints/

S5 Ep 34: In this episode meet Liam Vaughn, Barton Gellman, and Jung H Pak. From the story of a trading prodigy who triggered the fastest US market crash in history to gripping profiles of whistle-blower Edward Snowden and North Korea’s dictator Kim Jong Un, real people and events inspired these authors’ books. Although they each found the audiobook narration process to be more challenging than expected, find out which author was reminded of their childhood experiences in choir as they recorded their audiobook. Flash Crash by Liam Vaughan: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/565970/flash-crash/ Dark Mirror by Barton Gellman: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/316047/dark-mirror/ Becoming Kim Jong Un by Jung H. Pak: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/604727/becoming-kim-jong-un/

S5 Ep 31: In this episode, meet entrepreneur Meredith Fineman, technology reporter Alex Kantrowitz, and attorney Adrienne Lawrence. Each of these authors has taken a hard look at how engrained company cultures and established hierarchies can deeply and often negatively affect everything from worker productivity and innovation to employees’ basic ability to grow and thrive. Listen in to learn what it means to “brag better,” how to apply the internal structures of tech giants to your own work place, and how to survive and thrive after serious workplace harassment. Plus, hear what it was like for each of these authors to record their audiobooks, and who may think twice before ever using “so many letter p’s in a sentence again.” Brag Better by Meredith Fineman: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/617868/brag-better/ Always Day One by Alex Kantrowitz: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/607065/always-day-one/ Staying in the Game by Adrienne Lawrence: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/bo

S5 Ep 32: In this episode, meet novelist Maya Shanbhag Lang, writer Benjamin Taylor, and co-authors Tom Fitzgerald and Lorenzo Marquez. Each of these authors has combed through history—whether it’s of a personal relationship with a loved one or the cultural history of the Drag community—to create and share true stories of connection, inspiration, and love. Plus, discover which author rehearsed reading chapters of their book out loud for the month before their recording session began. What We Carry by Maya Shanbhag Lang: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/588770/what-we-carry/ Here We Are by Benjamin Taylor: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/575729/here-we-are/ Legendary Children by Tom Fitzgerald and Lorenzo Marquez: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/611526/legendary-children/

S5 E30: In this episode, meet journalist Andy Boyle, psychologist Rick Hanson, and speaker John O’Leary. Discover how each of these authors started asking big questions---of others and of themselves—in an effort to uncover how we grow into the people we are, and what we can do when we’re ready to change as adults. Plus, find out whose experience narrating took him back to his “high school musical theater nerd” days! Big Problems by Andy Boyle: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/566539/big-problems/ Resilient by Rick Hanson, Ph.D. and Forrest Hanson: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/549678/resilient/ In Awe by John O'Leary: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/611803/in-awe/

S5 E29: In this episode meet children’s book authors and educators Torrey Maldonado and M. Evan Wolkenstein. Using their own personal experiences of growing up, both writers create heartfelt, relatable tales that touch on universal issues of self-image and belonging. Each of the audiobooks will bring joy to young listeners, and provide opportunities for families to talk about empathy, connection, and what it means to be understood. Listen in to hear how each author felt stepping into the studio….one for the second time! And find out who one author turned to for listening inspiration as he prepared. What Lane? by Torrey Maldonado: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/588591/what-lane/ Turtle Boy by M. Evan Wolkenstein: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/610884/turtle-boy/

S5 Ep 25: In this special episode of This Is the Author, we meet bestselling authors Erik Larson and Lisa Wingate. You can hear them narrate an author’s note on their respective audiobook productions. Both authors used history as the basis for their books although one is fiction and one is non-fiction. In Erik Larson’s riveting narrative nonfiction work, The Splendid and the Vile, he explores Winston Churchill and London during the Blitz of WWII. Lisa Wingate’s historical fiction bestseller The Book of Lost Friends, was inspired by real advertisements for “Lost Friends” from the post-Civil War era. Listen as they each share special memories about reading and libraries as well as why they each love audiobooks. The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/606795/the-book-of-lost-friends/ Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/98112/isaacs-storm/

S5 E26: In this episode, meet authors Teju Cole, Nina Renata Aron, and Karla Cornejo Villavicencio. Step into the studio to hear each of them reflect on recording their audiobook, and particularly their thoughts on revisiting difficult or intimate scenes on the page and how voicing those scenes affected their narration. Plus, find out who once listened to an audiobook on a road trip while the sun was coming up. Open City by Teju Cole: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/29908/open-city/ Good Morning, Destroyer of Men's Souls by Nina Renata Aron: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/586540/good-morning-destroyer-of-mens-souls/ The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/558229/the-undocumented-americans/

S5 E27: In this episode, meet Bethany Saltman, Sarah Menkedick, and Kelsey Patel. In each of these authors’ audiobooks, they guide listeners through tricky life moments, whether it’s the anxiety of new motherhood or struggling with personal burnout. Discover what each woman learned about herself in their respective recording sessions -- and hear which author listens to audiobooks to help her get through 10 mile runs. Strange Situation by Bethany Saltman: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/553712/strange-situation/ Ordinary Insanity by Sarah Menkedick: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/589989/ordinary-insanity/ Burning Bright by Kelsey J. Patel: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/622572/burning-bright/

S5 E23: In this episode, meet Tony Wagner, Casey Schwartz, and Rana el Kaliouby. Go behind the mic with these authors and discover what it was like for them to record their audiobooks. Learning by Heart by Tony Wagner: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/600078/learning-by-heart/ Attention: A Love Story by Casey Schwartz: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/562183/attention-a-love-story/ Girl Decoded by Rana el Kaliouby and Carol Colman: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/603999/girl-decoded/

S5 E22: Welcome to another episode of This is the Author in Conversation, a more intimate behind-the-mic chat with our authors in the audiobook studio. This is Jennifer Rubins from Penguin Random House Audio, and I’m thrilled to invite you into my conversation with Emily Neuberger, the author of A Tender Thing, a beautiful debut novel set under the dazzling lights of late 1950s Broadway. I should mention this was recorded right before Broadway went dark due to the COVID-19 crisis, and before we were quarantined to our respective homes, so Emily and I were able to be together in a studio to talk about what it means to be a theatre person, the unique challenge of writing and then recording lyrics from a fictional musical, and of course learn more about her debut novel and why she wanted to narrate it. Her book has since been named by Playbill.com as one of 11 Books for Theatre Lovers to Read in Spring 2020 and it’s definitely a way for us all to be able to experience a bit of Broadway magic at home right now. I

S5 E20: In this episode, meet Jerry Saltz, Sarah Urist Green, and Adrienne Raphel. Each of these authors is passionate about art, artists, and how the creative impulse can permeate the every day. Go behind the mic as they talk about recording their audiobooks, and the unique challenges and joys of translating the visual medium of their books into the spoken word. Plus, find out who became a dedicated student of the arts, even though they “never did a lick of homework in high school.” How to Be an Artist by Jerry Saltz: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/612484/how-to-be-an-artist/ You Are an Artist by Sarah Urist Green: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/601958/you-are-an-artist/ Thinking Inside the Box by Adrienne Raphel: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/561343/thinking-inside-the-box/

In this second installment of our National Library Week special on This is the Author, we asked even more of our authors to share their fondest library memories. Listen to Glennon Doyle, John Von Sothen, Lee Hartley Carter, Emilie Pine, Ali Wong, Richard Russo, Terry McMillan, and Pablo Cartaya as they share anecdotes about their experiences as children within the library space, as well as stories about how they are creating memories with their own children in the library.

In this special episode of This is the Author, we’re celebrating National Library Week by asking authors to share some of their favorite library memories. Listen to Rebecca Solnit, Sarah Urist Green, Samantha Irby, Erin Lee Carr, Deepak Chopra, Janice Kaplan, Wendelin Van Draanen, Carolina de Robertis, and David Levithan highlight the wonderful opportunities that both libraries and librarians provide to the individual and the community as a whole.

S5 Ep 21: In this episode, meet Samantha Irby, Glennon Doyle, and Mike McHargue. Go behind the mic with these dynamic, charismatic authors and hear what it was like for them to record their audiobooks. You may also learn a thing or two about mispronouncing words in a sweaty recording booth, listening to audiobooks in the shower, and more. Wow, No Thank You. by Samantha Irby: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/576724/wow-no-thank-you/ Untamed by Glennon Doyle: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/592473/untamed/ You're a Miracle (and a Pain in the Ass) by Mike McHargue: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/599602/youre-a-miracle-and-a-pain-in-the-ass/

S5 E18: In this episode, meet Bess Kalb, Fanny Singer, and Terry McMillan. These authors have written remarkable new books about the complex, restorative, and joyous power of female relationships. Go behind the mic to hear what it was like for them to narrate their own audiobooks. Plus, find out which author recommends an audiobook that she says was like “the greatest lunch I ever had.” Nobody Will Tell You This But Me by Bess Kalb: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/580375/nobody-will-tell-you-this-but-me/ Always Home: A Daughter's Recipes & Stories by Fanny Singer and Alice Waters: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/553642/always-home-a-daughters-recipes-and-stories/ It's Not All Downhill From Here by Terry McMillan: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/600731/its-not-all-downhill-from-here/

S5 E19: In this episode, meet Alex Halberstadt, Esther Safran Foer, and Carolyn Forche. Each of these authors has written about their search for hidden family histories in the context of world-altering historical events. Listen in and hear what it was like for them to read their audiobooks. Plus, find out whose recording session required them to pronounce words in (at least!) 8 languages. Young Heroes of the Soviet Union by Alex Halberstadt: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/73622/young-heroes-of-the-soviet-union/ I Want You to Know We're Still Here by Esther Safran Foer: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/577021/i-want-you-to-know-were-still-here/ In the Lateness of the World by Carolyn Forché: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/586567/in-the-lateness-of-the-world/