NHPR Books

Through intertwining narratives, the novel follows a cast of characters in Pakistan, taking us from the chaotic cities to lawless feudal countryside. And in the Book Biz segment, how A.I. is affecting publishing.

This historical novel takes us to Poland in the late 1930s, where two young Jewish women must work together to find a missing teacher while storm clouds gather around them.

We all know what happened to Henry VIII’s second wife, Anne Boleyn, but what if she woke up the day after her execution and took it upon herself to seek justice?

A darkly comedic noir novel set in 1974 San Francisco following a young woman as she becomes obsessed with murder and desire after a co-worker's death, leading her to challenge her controlling husband.

“The Complex” moves between the U.S. and modern India to follow the illicit liaisons, political ambitions, and betrayals of a prominent Delhi family, unraveling in the shadow of a nation's transformation.

At the 2025 New Hampshire Book Festival, NHPR’s Taylor Quimby hosted the Children’s Keynote featuring Tui Sutherland—the beloved author of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Wings of Fire series, the Menagerie trilogy, and the Pet Trouble series. This conversation was recorded before a live audience on Fri. October 3, 2025.

At the 2025 New Hampshire Book Festival, Check This Out host Rachel Barenbaum hosted "Unexpected Journeys," a panel featuring authors Rob Franklin, Tim Weed, and Annie Hartnett. Together, they discussed the literal and emotional voyages in their latest novels: Franklin’s Great Black Hope, Weed’s The Afterlife Project, and Hartnett’s The Road to Tender Hearts. From fleeing the aftermath of a "very bad night" to crossing futuristic oceans or chasing old flames, these stories redefine the quest. This live session was recorded at Concord’s Capitol Center for the Arts.

NHPR, in collaboration with The Music Hall and MacDowell, presents Across the Table Conversations - a multidisciplinary talks series spotlighting emerging and established MacDowell Fellows in public conversation. Moderated by NHPR President and CEO Jim Schachter, this first event featured celebrated author Mary Gaitskill in conversation with writer and visual artist August Lamm. Mary Gaitskill is known for her searing, emotionally complex novels, essays, and short stories, including This is Pleasure, Veronica, and Bad Behavior, which included the short story “Secretary,” and has been featured in The New Yorker, Harper’s, and Esquire. August Lamm is a writer and visual artist whose essays have appeared in The Guardian and The New York Times, and is known for her perspectives on low-tech living. This conversation was recorded at the Music Hall Lounge on September 9th, 2025 during the Seacoast Litfest.

Patricia Cornwell is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and widely considered one of the world’s top crime writers. The 29th novel in her Scarpetta series, Sharp Force follows Dr. Kay Scarpetta as she tracks a serial killer through Northern Virginia. His pattern is to stalk victims using sophisticated technology that allows him to invade their homes and watch their every move. They awaken to a ghost-like hologram before being murdered in their beds. This conversation was recorded before a live audience at the Music Hall in Portsmouth on October 8, 2025.

Authors on Main brings world class authors to Concord, N.H, and in this episode, Laura Knoy comes to the BNH Stage to sit down with Rick Ganley and discuss her debut novel The Shopkeeper of Alsace.

Authors on Main brings world class authors to Concord, N.H, and in this episode, best-selling author Jodi Picoult comes to the Capital Center for the Arts for a literary discussion of her new novel "By Any Other Name."

Authors on Main brings world class authors to Concord, New Hampshire, and in this episode, best-selling author Julia Alvarez comes to the Bank of New Hampshire stage for a literary discussion of her new novel, "The Cemetery of Untold Stories."

Authors on Main brings world class authors to Concord, New Hampshire, and in this episode, best-selling author Chris Bohjalian comes to the Bank of New Hampshire stage for a literary discussion of his new novel, "The Princess of Las Vegas."

Michael Cunningham joined us at Bank of New Hampshire Stage in Concord, NH to discuss his latest novel, Day. He was interviewed by Civics 101 host Hannah McCarthy.

Ann Patchett joined us at Bank of New Hampshire Stage in Concord, NH to discuss her latest novel, Tom Lake. She was interviewed by local author Katrina Kenison and NHPR's Morning Edition host Rick Ganley.

Dan Brown joined us in September 2025 at The Music Hall in Portsmouth to discuss his latest, The Secret of Secrets.

Jennifer Weiner spoke with us at The Music Hall in Portsmouth in September 2025 about her work and her latest novel, The Griffin Sisters' Greatest Hits.

In May 2025, author Jeanine Cummins sat down with NHPR's President and CEO Jim Schachter to discuss her latest novel, Speak to Me of Home.

In March 2025, NHPR’s Rick Ganley sat down with legendary J. Geils Band frontman Peter Wolf to talk about his memoir, Waiting on the Moon: Artists, Poets, Drifters, Grifters, and Goddesses. Told with wry humor and heart-wrenching honesty, Waiting on the Moon offers an intimate look into the lives of artists, writers, actors, and musicians—their creative drives, personal struggles, and the complex ties that bind them. This conversation was recorded live at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on March 18, 2025.

Ariel Lawhon joined us to discuss her novel The Frozen River on November 6, 2024.

Mo Rocca joined us on June 18, 2024 at The Music Hall in Portsmouth to discuss his latest, Roctogenarians.

Doris Kearns Goodwin joined us on June 5, 2024 to discuss her latest book, An Unfinished Love Story.

Law professor and MSNBC analyst Barabara McQuade joined us on March 14th, 2024 at The Music Hall in Portsmouth to discuss her book Attack From Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America.Head to https://www.nhpr.org/wnes for more episodes and to sign up for our newsletter!

Heather Cox Richardson joined Civics 101 host Hannah McCarthy on stage at The Music Hall in Portsmouth to discuss her book Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America. Best known for her wildly popular newsletter, Letters from an American, in Democracy Awakening Richardson takes on the current state of affairs in American politics and history. This conversation was recorded live on September 29th, 2023.Sign up for the WNES newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/nhpr.org/newslettersignup

Palahniuk joined Morning Edition host Rick Ganley on stage at The Music Hall in Portsmouth to discuss his latest novel Not Forever, but For Now. The book traces one notorious family of killers, responsible for some of history’s greatest crimes, and tells the story of the two brothers set to take over the family business. This conversation was recorded live on September 12th, 2023. Please note: The reading at the top of the show includes some explicit language.Sign up for the WNES newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/nhpr.org/newslettersignup

Writers on a New England Stage with Colson Whitehead. Whitehead joined Morning Edition host Rick Ganley on stage at The Music Hall in Portsmouth to discuss his latest novel, Crook Manifesto, the second in a trilogy that began with Harlem Shuffle. Crook Manifesto takes Whitehead’s main character, furniture salesman and fence Ray Carney, into the tumultuous Harlem of the 1970s. This conversation was recorded live on July 20th, 2023.Sign up for the WNES newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/nhpr.org/newslettersignup

Writers on a New England Stage with Geraldine Brooks. Brooks joined All Things Considered host Julia Furukawa on stage at The Music Hall in Portsmouth to discuss her latest novel Horse - a story of the legendary racehorse Lexington, the enslaved groom who became his companion, a painting traced through history, and America’s unfinished reckoning with racism. This conversation was recorded live on June 21st, 2023.Sign up for the WNES newsletter here: https://mailchi.mp/nhpr.org/newslettersignup

Writers on a New England Stage with John Irving, recorded virtually in 2022. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Huma Abedin, recorded live at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH in 2022. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Nina Totenberg, recorded live at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH in 2022. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Amor Towles, recorded live at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH in 2022. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Erik Larson, recorded live at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH in 2022. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Kevin Kwan, recorded virtually in 2021. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Erin Brockovich, recorded virtually in 2021. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Paul Krugman, recorded virtually in 2021. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Diane Rehm, recorded virtually in 2021. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Rebecca Carroll, recorded virtually in 2021. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with David Blight, recorded live at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH in 2020. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Malcolm Gladwell, recorded live at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH in 2019. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Tommy Orange, recorded live at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH in 2019. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Jared Diamond, recorded live at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH in 2019. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Lidia Bastianich, recorded live at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH in 2019. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Steven Pinker, recorded live at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH in 2019. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Doris Kearns Goodwin, recorded live at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH in 2018. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Jennifer Egan, recorded live at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH in 2018. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Katy Tur, recorded live at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH in 2018. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Jojo Moyes, recorded live at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH in 2018. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Atul Gawande, recorded live at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH in 2017. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Diane Rehm, recorded live at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH in 2017. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.

Writers on a New England Stage with Anthony Doerr, recorded live at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH in 2017. This archive program may still contain broadcast elements from the time it aired.