

Poured Over
Barnes & Noble
Poured Over is a show for readers who pore over details, obsess over sentences and ideas and stories and characters; readers who ask a lot of questions, just like Poured Over's host, Miwa Messer, a career bookseller who's always reading. Follow us here for surprising riffs, candid conversations, a few laughs, and lots of great book recommendations from big name authors and authors on their way to being big names. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional bonus episodes on Saturdays).
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 14, 2025 • 50min
Megha Majumdar on A GUARDIAN AND A THIEF
A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar is a taut and transporting tale of two families' plights set on a collision course. Megha joins us to talk about climate change in literature, writing compressed narratives, class, intentional language, influences and more with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar A Burning by Megha Majumdar The South by Tash Aw Audition by Katie Kitamura The Great Reclamation by Rachel Heng Mobility by Lydia Kiesling Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar The Swimmers by Julie Otsuka Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy by John le Carré

Oct 11, 2025 • 43min
Elizabeth George on A SLOWLY DYING CAUSE
A Slowly Dying Cause by Elizabeth George is the gripping 22nd installment of the bestselling Inspector Lynley series that takes our detectives back to Cornwall. Elizabeth joins us to talk about writing from multiple perspectives, creating her characters, outlining, research and more with cohost Jenna Seery. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Jenna Seery and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): A Slowly Dying Cause by Elizabeth George Payment in Blood by Elizabeth George Playing for the Ashes by Elizabeth George For the Sake of Elena by Elizabeth George Traitor's Purse by Margery Allingham The Hunter by Tana French

Oct 9, 2025 • 51min
Mary Roach on REPLACEABLE YOU
Replaceable You by Mary Roach is a globe-spanning account of the impact modern science has on the human body, from stem cell centers to a working iron lung. Mary joins us to talk about sitting in on surgeries, traveling for her research, creating footnotes, xenotransplants, humor and more with guest host Chris Gillespie. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Chris Gillespie and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): Replaceable You by Mary Roach Stiff by Mary Roach Fuzz by Mary Roach Packing for Mars by Mary Roach Gulp by Mary Roach Animal, Vegetable, Junk by Mark Bittman Another Great Day at Sea by Geoff Dyer The Headache by Tom Zeller Jr. The Heart in Winter by Kevin Barry Angel Down by Daniel Kraus

Oct 7, 2025 • 41min
Jade Chang on WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE
What a Time to Be Alive by Jade Chang is a sharp, funny and smart story centered on a woman's journey through grief and the wellness industry. Jade joined us live at The Grove to talk about finding her character's voice, Los Angeles, TED Talks, belief, hope, performance, coming-of-age narratives, fame and more with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): What a Time to Be Alive by Jade Chang The Wangs vs. The World by Jade Chang

Oct 4, 2025 • 45min
Jen Hatmaker on AWAKE
Awake by Jen Hatmaker is a powerful and poignant memoir full of hope, loss and paving a new path after the end of her marriage. Jen joins us to talk about healing, home, family, faith, support systems and more with guest host Brenda Allison. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Brenda Allison and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): Awake by Jen Hatmaker All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker Sandwich by Catherine Newman Go as a River by Shelley Read Wreck by Catherine Newman

Oct 3, 2025 • 54min
Jason Diamond on KAPLAN'S PLOT
Kaplan's Plot by Jason Diamond is a riveting read where home, past and present collide in one gripping family mystery. Jason joins us to talk about releasing his debut novel, haunting the narrative, Chicago, empathy, redemption and more with cohost Isabelle McConville. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Isabelle McConville and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): Kaplan's Plot by Jason Diamond The Sprawl by Jason Diamond Searching for John Hughes by Jason Diamond On Writing by Stephen King It by Stephen King White Teeth by Zadie Smith The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald 1000 Words by Jami Attenberg The Ecstasy of Influence by Jonathan Lethem

Oct 2, 2025 • 50min
Mona Awad on WE LOVE YOU, BUNNY
We Love You, Bunny by Mona Awad is the long-awaited return to the world of the sickeningly sweet (and maniacally maddening) clique in Bunny. Mona joined us live at B&N Union Square to talk about revisiting the Bunnies, Frankenstein, writing delusional characters, hyperfemininity, the myth of the outsider, surrealism and more with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): We Love You, Bunny by Mona Awad Bunny by Mona Awad Rouge by Mona Awad Frankenstein by Mary Shelley All's Well by Mona Awad 13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl by Mona Awad A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys Lady Oracle by Margaret Atwood The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

Sep 30, 2025 • 47min
Angela Flournoy on THE WILDERNESS
The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy is a big-hearted story about community and friendship amid the chaos of life's uncertainties. Angela joined us live at B&N Upper West Side to talk about friendship, adulthood, building a life, platonic love, what it means to be good, money, class and more with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): The Wilderness by Angela Flournoy Turner House by Angela Flournoy Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf Sula by Toni Morrison Beloved by Toni Morrison A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan Lost in the City by Edward P. Jones Temple Folk by Aaliyah Bilal

Sep 27, 2025 • 1h 1min
SenLinYu on ALCHEMISED
Alchemised by SenLinYu is an epic and engrossing dark fantasy novel following a prisoner of war grappling with a world of death and dark magic. Sen joins us to talk about world building, their research process, religion, philosophy, characterization and more with cohost Isabelle McConville. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Isabelle McConville and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): Alchemised by SenLinYu Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang Babel by R.F. Kuang The Book Thief by Markus Zusak The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell The Unwomanly Face of War by Svetlana Alexievich Frankenstein by Mary Shelley Featured Books (TBR Top Off): Alchemised by SenLinYu The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett Rose in Chains by Julie Soto The Irresistible Urge to Fall for your Enemy by Brigitte Knightley

Sep 25, 2025 • 1h 1min
Patricia Lockwood on WILL THERE EVER BE ANOTHER YOU
Will There Ever Be Another You by Patricia Lockwood is a gripping and disconcerting story of one woman's unraveling during a global pandemic. Patricia joins us to talk about writing about the internet, nostalgia, language, genre, reading classics and more with host Miwa Messer. This episode of Poured Over was hosted by Miwa Messer and mixed by Harry Liang. New episodes land Tuesdays and Thursdays (with occasional Saturdays) here and on your favorite podcast app. Featured Books (Episode): Will There Ever Be Another You by Patricia Lockwood Priest Daddy by Patricia Lockwood No One Is Talking About This by Patricia Lockwood Audition by Katie Kitamura Mrs. Caliban by Rachel Ingalls Binstead's Safari by Rachel Ingalls Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Featured Books (TBR Top Off): I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman Ripe by Sarah Rose Etter


