First Edition

This episode is from our old podcast series Annotated, and it seemed fitting to bring it out of the archive this election season. In this episode: A woman with no prior political experience decides to run for city commission in her small college town. So she goes to the library and checks out a book called How to Win a Local Election. And she wins. This is her story and the story of the book that helped her win.Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While I am out on vacation, I am bringing something out from the vault. I have done a couple of "Reading Life" episodes here on First Edition with Adam Limon and James McBride, and that format got started as its own, sadly ended, podcast series: Reading Lives. While I was doing that show, I got a bunch of requests for my own episode, which I tried recording as a solo act. So here is that episode, about my own life as a reader. Back with new episodes starting at the end of August.Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff is joined by Brenna Connor, Director & Industry Analyst for U.S. books sales for Circana. She has the goods: what is selling, what is trending, how retailers are doing, and much more. I learned a TON, and I bet you will too.Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of First Edition, the reading life of U.S. National Poet Laureate Ada Limón.This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Discussed in this episode:You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World, edited by Ada LimónIn Praise of Mystery by Ada Limón, illustrated by Peter Sis. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jeff O'Neal talks with Ayana Mathis about her latest book, The Unsettled. The Unsettled was a 2023 New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and a Best Book of the Year selection by The New Yorker, The Washington Post, Oprah Daily, and others. The Unsettled is now available in paperback.This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack.Discussed in this episode:The Unsettled by Ayana MathisEmail in with questions, comments, and ideas: firstedition@bookriot.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Jeff talks with Claire Messud about her new novel, This Strange, Eventful History.Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Jeff talks with Rachel Khong about her new novel, Real Americans. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack.This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

40 years ago, Sandra Cisneros published what would become a contemporary classic: The House on Mango Street. To mark the occasion, Everyman's Library has released a new edition. The introduction to that edition was written by Professor John Philip Santos, a fellow writer and long-time friend of Cisneros. He joins me on this episode to talk about the origin, meaning, and legacy of this modern masterpiece.This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Discussed in this episode:The House on Mango Street (Everyman's Library) by Sandra Cisneros, introduction by John Philip SantosPlaces Left Unfinished at the Time of Creation by John Philip Santos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Xochitl Gonzalez, author of Anita de Monte Laughs Last, joins Jeff to debut two new First Edition segments: Anatomy of a Scene and Hardest/Easiest. In the first segment, they each pick a scene to dissect from Anita de Monte Laughs Last. In the second, Gonzalez talks about what part of the book was the easiest to write....and which was the hardest.Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack.Want to make your book club the best club? Sign up for our In the Club newsletter. In the Club will deliver recommendations for the best books to discuss in your book clubs. From buzzy new releases to brilliant throwbacks, the books highlighted in this newsletter will drive your book club discussions. We’ll also share some book club-friendly recipes and interesting bookish updates from all over. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features. In other words, we’ll keep you well-met, well-read, and well-fed. Sign up today!This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.Discussed in this episode:Anita de Monte Laughs LastThe First Edition Newsletter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jason Snell of sixcolors.com, and ereader connoisseur, joins Jeff to talk about the state of ereaders, what makes a good ereader, a couple of interesting, oddball new devices, and more. Check out sixcolors.com and The Incomparable.Want to make your book club the best club? Sign up for our In the Club newsletter. In the Club will deliver recommendations for the best books to discuss in your book clubs. From buzzy new releases to brilliant throwbacks, the books highlighted in this newsletter will drive your book club discussions. We’ll also share some book club-friendly recipes and interesting bookish updates from all over. If you become a paid subscriber, you get even more recommendations plus community features. In other words, we’ll keep you well-met, well-read, and well-fed. Sign up today!Discussed in this episode:Two e-readers that made me reconsider why I use e-readers by Jason SnellSubscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices