NPR's Book of the Day

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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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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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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The Iranian government has exerted forceful control over its citizens since the Islamic Republic seized power nearly 50 years ago. The pop star Googoosh has firsthand experience of opposition to the regime – and its consequences. In 1980, the singer was imprisoned and forced into a basement with other women after the government deemed her music sinful. Afterwards, she spent decades living in silence and exile. In today’s episode, she joins Here & Now’s Peter O’Dowd for a conversation about her new memoir, Googoosh: A Sinful Voice, and her relationship with Iran, then and now.

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Is there anything you wouldn’t do for your favorite person? That question is at the center of Sarah Harman’s debut novel All the Other Mothers Hate Me. The book follows a single mom, Florence, who goes to extreme lengths to defend her son when he becomes a suspect in the disappearance of his school bully. In today’s episode, Harman tells NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe about her misfit protagonist and her observations of British culture from an outsider’s perspective.

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