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
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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
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On this edition of The Weekly Reader, we feature two new novels that explore the often complicated terrain of motherhood. Our book critic Marion Winik on… -
On this edition of The Weekly Reader, a preview of our 'Weekly Reader Book Club' pick for October, Tope Folarin's A Particular Kind of Black Man. The book… -
on this edition of The Weekly Reader, we check in with our "British Cousins." Our book critic Marion Winik reviews Craig Brown's Ninety-nine glimpses of… -
Here at The Weekly Reader, we are big fans of literature, no matter how you choose to consume it. On this edition of the show, our book critic Marion… -
What happens when people suddenly disappear, without a trace? On this edition of The Weekly Reader, we look at two new books that address that question.… -
On this edition of The Weekly Reader, we are excited to re-introduce you to Rebecca Makkai's beautiful book, The Great Believers. It is our pick for the… -
On this episode of The Weekly Reader, our book critic Marion Winik reviews Campusland, a satirical debut novel by Scott Johnston, and a new one from an… -
On this edition of The Weekly Reader, we review Colson Whitehead's latest novel, The Nickel Boys. Inspired by real events, the story also features "a… -
It’s fun to imagine the real lives of “coming-of-age" book authors – how much do they draw from their own experiences? Today on The Weekly Reader, book… -
On this edition of The Weekly Reader, we review two new novels about men with complicated lives. Book critic Marion Winik shares her thoughts on Taffy…
