First Edition
BookRiot.com co-founder Jeff O'Neal explores the wide bookish world. Interviews, lists, rankings, retrospectives, recommendations, and much more, featuring people who know and love books.
Insights from recent episode analysis
Audience Interest
Podcast Focus
Publishing Consistency
Platform Reach
Insights are generated by CastFox AI using publicly available data, episode content, and proprietary models.
Back-catalog monthly reach
Based on the show's feed history · back-catalog reach only (show is inactive).
Built from
- Per-Episode Audience
No new episodes in 90+ days
—🎙 Monthly cadence·71 episodes·Last published 12mo ago - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
2K to 18K🇺🇸100% - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
400 to 3.6K
Market Insights
Platform Distribution
Reach across major podcast platforms, updated hourly
Total Followers
—
Total Plays
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* Data sourced directly from platform APIs and aggregated hourly across all major podcast directories.
| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/28/25 | Erin Somers on THE TEN YEAR AFFAIR and Naomi Huffman on Katherine Dunn | Jeff is joined by Erin Somers to talk about her terrific new novel, The Ten Year Affair. Then, editor Naomi Huffman on Katherine Dunn, Geek Love, and the new collection of Dunn's work, Near Flesh. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Check out Zero to Well-Read, wherever you get your podcasts. 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 | 1h 08m 15s | ||||||
| 10/9/25 | Censorship, Inclusivity, Book Banning and more with Hachette CEO David Shelley | Hachette CEO David Shelley joins Jeff to talk about how Hachette is fighting book bans and censorship, working on greater exclusivity and access, and other issues facing publishing today. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Check out Zero to Well-Read, wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 37m 40s | ||||||
| 10/7/25 | The Guggenheim Fellowships at 100 | Over its first century The Guggenheim Fellowships have supported more than 19,000 artists, writers, thinkers, scientists, and makers of ideas and culture in America. In honor of this milestone, The Guggenheim Fellowship at 100, on view at The New York Historical Society through November 30th, shows off correspondence, application materials, cultural objects, and other signs and tokens of what Guggenheim these fellowships and fellows have done. In this episode, Jeff talks to Guggenheim President Edward Hirsch about the fellowships and what they mean. Then, Hanna Pennington, Associate Director and Archivist at the Guggenheim, joins to talk about the work and materials that went into making this exhibition. 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 | 47m 01s | ||||||
| 9/25/25 | Sasha Bonét on THE WATERBEARERS and Jason Diamond on KAPLAN'S PLOT | Jeff talks with Sasha Bonét about her memoir, The Waterbearers. Then, Jason Diamond joins to talk about his debut novel, Kaplan's Plot. 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 | 1h 20m 54s | ||||||
| 9/4/25 | How to Make a Literary Festival with Amanda Bullock and Creating Modern Book Coverage with Boris Kachka | First Edition returns after a summer hiatus. Amanda Bullock of Portland's Literary Arts talks about how to make a literary festival, Literary Arts growth over the past several years, and advice for book festival attendees. Then, The Atlantic Books editor Boris Kachka joins to talk about The Atlantic's new The Writer's Way series and creating modern book coverage. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Discussed in this episode: The 2025 Portland Book Festival Literary Arts The Writer's Way Series at The Atlantic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 1h 22m 11s | ||||||
| 7/18/25 | What Are Social Media Algorithms Doing to How We Talk? | Jeff talks to Adam Aleksic about his new book, Algospeak: How Social Media is Transforming the Future of Language. Not sure if you will better or worse about how algorithms, censorship, and influencer culture are shaping language, but you will at least understand it better. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Looking to elevate your reading life? Tailored Book Recommendations delivers reading recommendations hand-picked just for you by real human book nerds. Plans start at just $18! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: Algospeak: How Social Media is Transforming the Future of Language by Adam Aleksic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 26m 21s | ||||||
| 7/3/25 | HOT GIRLS WITH BALLS by Benedict Nguyen | Jeff talks about Hot Girls with Balls with author Benedict Nguyen. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell’s on July 9th, 2025 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 | 36m 25s | ||||||
| 6/26/25 | A Rare Bookseller Turns to Fantasy: Oliver Darkshire & ISABELLA NAGG AND THE POT OF BASIL | Jeff talks to rare-bookseller turned fantasy author Oliver Darkshire about his debut work of fantasy, Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil. Darkshire's breakout memoir of being an accidental rare bookseller is Once Upon a Tome. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell’s on July 9th, 2025 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 | 27m 04s | ||||||
| 6/12/25 | From Mourning to Making Art: A Conversation With Peter Mendelsund | Peter Mendelsund is a writer, book designer, musician, novelist, and painter. And he has two books coming out within just a couple of weeks of each other: Exhibitionist and Weepers. We talk about both in deep, wide-ranging conversation. This is a good one. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell’s on July 9th, 2025 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 | 58m 30s | ||||||
| 6/10/25 | An Agent's View on Publishing and Writing a Book | Kate McKean joins Jeff to talk about her new book, Write Through It: An Insider's Guide to Publishing and the Creative Life. Kate is a literary agent at the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency and writes the extremely interesting and popular Agents + Books newsletter. 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. Discussed in this episode: The Two Kinds of Book Auctions The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell’s on July 9th, 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 47m 15s | ||||||
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| 6/5/25 | The "I Wish I Could Read All Day" Books of June | I am working on a permanent title for this episode format, where I just run through a bunch of books I am interested in that are coming out in the current month. You get the idea. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Tailored Book Recommendations has the chops to find the right read for your loved one this Father’s Day. Gift TBR today starting at just $18! Discussed in this episode: The Book Riot Podcast The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell’s on July 9th, 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 36m 02s | ||||||
| 6/3/25 | Susan Choi on FLASHLIGHT & Damon Young on THAT'S HOW THEY GET YOU | June new releases are hopping. Jeff talks to Susan Choi about her new novel, Flashlight. Then, Damon Young comes on to talk about his new anthology, That's How They Get You: An Unruly Anthology of Black Humor. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Tailored Book Recommendations has the chops to find the right read for your loved one this Father’s Day. Gift TBR today starting at just $18! This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: The Book Riot Podcast The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell's on July 9th, 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 58m 42s | ||||||
| 5/29/25 | Wisdom, Aphorisms, and THE SECRETS OF ADULTHOOD with Gretchen Rubin | Gretchen Rubin returns to the show to talk about wisdom, aphorisms, and her new book, The Secrets of Adulthood. PLUS: a silent reading challenge coming in June that anyone can do. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Email jeff at firstedition (at) bookriot (dot).com. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Discussed in this episode: The Secrets of Adulthood by Gretchen Rubin Read 25 Day Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 38m 39s | ||||||
| 5/8/25 | The "Hey I Just Might" Books of May PLUS: Books on the Blockchain | Jeff goes over a couple dozen May new releases that he definitely might consider thinking about reading. Then, Book.io co-founder and CEO Joshua Stone comes on to talk about what the blockchain could offer the world of books and reading. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Email jeff at firstedition (at) bookriot (dot).com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 51m 12s | ||||||
| 4/24/25 | The Business of Being a Writer with Jane Friedman | Jeff talks to Jane Friedman about the new edition of her book, The Business of Being a Writer. She has been writing about the publishing industry for years (and Jeff has been reading her work for years as well), and this book is a guide for writers who don't just want to write, they want to try to make a living. It's a tremendous resource for early-career writers especially, but also has application and relevance for later-stage writers, creatives of all kinds, and people who are interested in how publishing works. The Business of Being a Writer (Second Edition) is out now. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Links and Resources: The Spring 2025 First Edition Giveaway The Business of Being a Writer by Jane Friedman Jane's website And please do email me with feedback here: firstedition (at) bookriot (dot)com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 43m 15s | ||||||
| 4/22/25 | The Books of Marie-Helene Bertino...with Marie-Helene Bertino | Jeff is joined by one of his favorite writers, Marie-Helene Bertino, and the talk about all five of her books in order, including her new short story collection, Exit Zero. Marie-Helene Bertino's Beautyland was named a best book of 2024 by Times, Esquire, Lit Hub and many others. Jeff included it on his list of the most recommendable books of the century so far. Her new book, Exit Zero, is available now. 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 | 1h 21m 07s | ||||||
| 4/17/25 | Trying to Make English Spelling EZ: Gabe Henry & ENOUGH IS ENUF | Jeff talks to Gabe Henry about his new book, Enough is Enuf: Our Failed Attempts to Make English Easier to Spell. For centuries, a series of thinkers, writers, politicians, and bankers have been advocating to make English easier to spell. It hasn't really worked. But the effort is fascinating. Enough is Enuf is available now wherever books are sold. 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 | 37m 24s | ||||||
| 4/11/25 | Jon Hickey & BIG CHIEF | Jeff talks to Jon Hickey about his debut novel, Big Chief. Jon Hickey earned his MFA at Cornell University and was a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. He has received scholarships from the Bread Loaf Writers Conference and the Sewanee Writers Conference, and he is an enrolled member of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians. His short fiction has appeared in Massachusetts Review, Gulf Coast Online, Virginia Quarterly Review, Meridian, and The Madison Review. Jon lives in San Francisco with his wife and two sons. 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 | 45m 06s | ||||||
| 4/8/25 | Katie Kitamura & AUDITION | Jeff talks to the great Katie Kitamura about her new novel, Audition (it is very, very good). 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 | 31m 44s | ||||||
| 4/3/25 | 21 Books I've Got My Eye on This Month (April 2025) | Jeff talks about 21 books coming out this month that caught his eye. Subscribe to First Edition via RSS, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. For episode extras, subscribe to the First Edition Substack. Discussed in this episode: I Have a Capital Suggestion for a New Pronoun by John McWhorter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 35m 27s | ||||||
| 3/27/25 | Writing the Big One with Emma Pattee, Author of TILT | Jeff talks to Emma Pattee about her debut novel, Tilt. They talk earthquakes, IKEA, the consequences of writing place precisely, and much more. This book is a winner, folks. 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 | 44m 01s | ||||||
| 3/21/25 | Making Phosphorus Interesting: WHITE LIGHT and How to Make a Microhistory | Jeff is joined by Jack Lohmann, author of the new book White Light: The Elemental Role of Phosphorus-in Our Cells, in Our Food, and in Our World. Plus, his editor at Pantheon, Todd Portnowitz joins the conversation to talk about positioning, crafting, and otherwise publishing non-fiction like this. 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 | 47m 56s | ||||||
| 3/20/25 | The Reading Life of Stephen Graham Jones | Jeff talks to Stephen Graham Jones about his reading life. Stephen Graham Jones is the NYT bestselling author of thirty-five or so novels and collections, and there are some novellas and comic books in there as well. Most recent are Earthdivers and I Was a Teenage Slasher. His new book, The Buffalo Hunter Hunter, is out now. 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 | 53m 58s | ||||||
| 3/14/25 | How Hollywood Shaped Joan Didion with Alissa Wilkinson | Alissa Wilkinson joins Jeff to talk about her new book, We Tell Ourselves Stories: Joan Didion and the American Dream Machine. 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. Discussed in this episode: We Tell Ourselves Stories: Joan Didion and the American Dream Machine by Alissa Wilkinson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 37m 48s | ||||||
| 3/6/25 | A Gift from the Internet, Murder Ballads, and Liking Your Writing with Amal El-Mohtar | Jeff talks to Amal El-Mohtar about This is How You Lose the Time War getting one of greatest bookish gifts ever bestowed by the internet before talking about her new book, The River Has Roots. 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. Discussed in this episode: The Book Riot Podcast Live at Powell's on March 13th This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices | 51m 11s | ||||||
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Chart history for First Edition
Peaked at #177 in PH, currently #177 in PH.
| Market | Genre | Peak | Current | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PH | — | #177 | #177 | — |
Chart Positions
1 placement across 1 market.
Chart Positions
1 placement across 1 market.