The Weekly Reader
Wednesdays at 2:33 p.m.
For lovers of literary fiction and memoir, The Weekly Reader is a four-minute round-up of the best new books on the national scene. University of Baltimore professor, author, and longtime All Things Considered commentator Marion Winik joins WYPR’s producer Lisa Morgan, former co-host of The Signal, in studio to share two picks each week.
They curate the best of the buzzy books you're hearing about elsewhere, and keeping an eye out for those of special interest to Baltimoreans. When Winik, who reviews for People, Kirkus Review, and the Washington Post, brings her trademark humor, thoughtful insights, and refreshing honesty to book criticism, it’s like having a new best friend with very good taste to guide you on your literary adventures.
Latest Episodes
-
Cats From Japan: "The Blanket Cats" by Kiyoshi Shigematsu and "Mornings Without Mii" by Mayumi InabaIn Japan they call it iyashakei – a term that can be applied to anything that is comforting and uplifting: a person, a meal, a walk in the park. These books fit the bill! -
Never trust the teller, trust the tale? Not when the "teller" is as compelling as the "tale!" -
The Weekly Reader's Marion Winik will be in conversation with four local writers who have been receiving raves for their new work in fiction and poetry. -
World War II and its aftermath left an indelible mark on the world and inspired countless artists to try to make sense of such a calamity. -
Joan Didion died in 2021, but interest in her life and work has only increased since then. -
Inheritance: "The Magnificent Ruins" by Nayantara Roy and "Like Mother, Like Mother" by Susan RiegerWe can inherit so many things from our ancestors – physical traits, like hair and eye color, a quick temper, musical talent, a bunch of money, maybe even a big old house! -
Joni Mitchell gets the biographical treatment in a pair of books as unconventional as the artist herself. -
We love short stories, and we're going to make you love them, too. -
Who hasn’t dreamed of running away, leaving it all behind, totally reinventing yourself? -
Great art is often created in the wake of terrible tragedy – think Guernica, The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll, The Vietnam Memorial.
The Weekly Reader
-
On this edition of The Weekly Reader, we feature two new novels that both have a distinctly Asian flavor.Number One Chinese Restaurant, Lillian Li,… -
On this edition of The Weekly Reader, we bring you two additions to our growing list of summer reading recommendations. The Perfect Couple, Elin… -
On this edition of The Weekly Reader, Marion Winik shares two new memoirs about women leading unconventional lives and relishing the things that make them… -
On this edition of The Weekly Reader, a look back at some of Roth's best work, plus a great biography about him and a book inspired by his novel, The… -
Today on The Weekly Reader we review two books that tackle a difficult subject - the aftermath of a traumatic brain injury - in very different ways.… -
Summer is right around the corner, and on this edition of The Weekly Reader, our book critic Marion Winik shares a pair of books that are not only great… -
On this edition of The Weekly Reader, we review two books that feature characters that break the mold of the typical leading lady, reminding us that… -
On this edition of The Weekly Reader, book critic and long-time Texas cheerleader Marion Winik reviews a new book that captures the mystery and majesty of… -
On this edition of The Weekly Reader, a pair of books that look at the ways in which money, or a lack thereof, changes our lives and relationships in a… -
On this episode of The Weekly Reader, two novels with fresh takes on classic tales.Circe, Madeline Miller, Little BrowThe Secret Chord, Geraldine Brooks,…
