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PODCAST · arts

Reading the Room

by Jaylen Lopez (@thebarandthebookcase)

A literary podcast featuring author interviews and discussions with bookish content creators, hosted by Jaylen (aka @thebarandthebookcase on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok).

Publisher-supplied feed metadata · PodParley refreshed Apr 15, 2026 · Source feed

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Episodes

  1. Sheila Heti, "Alphabetical Diaries"

    Watch/Listen to Reading the Room on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingtheroom.podcast/ Goodreads:...

  2. Alice McDermott, "Absolution"

    Watch/Listen to Reading the Room on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingtheroom.podcast/ Goodreads:...

  3. Beauty, Drag, & Halloween w/ Mona Awad ("Rouge")

    Watch/Listen to Reading the Room on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingtheroom.podcast/ Goodreads:...

  4. Bryan Washington, "Family Meal"

    Watch/Listen to Reading the Room on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingtheroom.podcast/ Goodreads:...

  5. Justin Torres, "Blackouts"

    Watch/Listen to Reading the Room on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingtheroom.podcast/ Goodreads:...

  6. Body Horror, Religion, & Working Class Narratives w/ Elle Nash ("Deliver Me")

    Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingtheroom.podcast/ Goodreads:...

  7. Body-Swapping, Marriage, & Art w/ Isle McElroy ("People Collide")

    Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingtheroom.podcast/ Goodreads:...

  8. Monstrous Women w/ Deesha Philyaw, Chana Porter, Chantal V. Johnson & Kristel Buckley ("Peach Pit")

    Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingtheroom.podcast/ Goodreads:...

  9. Survival, Solitude, & Middlemarch w/ Lauren Groff ("The Vaster Wilds")

    Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingtheroom.podcast/ Goodreads:...

  10. Sacred Queer Books & Merch Collab w/ CJ Reads

    SAVED T-SHIRT (10% of all proceeds are donated to Lambda Literary): https://www.sunnysbooktruck.com/merch/p/saved-short-sleeve Follow Sunny's Book Truck: https://www.instagram.com/sunnysbooktruck/ Watch Episodes Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email:...

  11. Superpowers and Extinction w/ Hilary Leichter ("Terrace Story")

    Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingtheroom.podcast/ Goodreads:...

  12. Mating by Norman Rush with Lauren Oyler

    Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingtheroom.podcast/ Goodreads:...

  13. Trauma Plots & Lana Del Rey w/ Kyle Dillon Hertz ("The Lookback Window")

    Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingtheroom.podcast/ Goodreads:...

  14. Memory & Child Narrators w/ Khashayar J. Khabushani ("I Will Greet the Sun Again")

    Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingtheroom.podcast/ Goodreads:...

  15. Family Dramas, Autofiction, & Humor w/ Andrew Ridker ("Hope")

    Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingtheroom.podcast/ Goodreads:...

  16. Vampires & Silicon Valley w/ Daniel Hornsby ("Sucker")

    Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingtheroom.podcast/ Goodreads:...

  17. Workplace Horror & Black Holes w/ Sarah Rose Etter ("Ripe")

    Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingtheroom.podcast/ Goodreads:...

  18. Absurdity in Fiction w/ Matthew Binder ("Pure Cosmos Club")

    Bonus Content & Book Club Access: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  19. The Brandon Taylor Interview | Reading the Room Podcast

    Bonus Content & Book Club Access: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  20. Heavy Metal & Coming of Age Tales w/ John Wray ("Gone to the Wolves")

    Bonus Content & Book Club Access: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  21. Separating Art from the Artist w/ Claire Dederer ("Monsters")

    Bonus Content & Book Club Access: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  22. Domestic Fiction & Crafting a Story Collection w/ Andrew Porter ("The Disappeared")

    Bonus Content & Book Club Access: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  23. Fandom, Surrealism, & Literature w/ Esther Yi ("Y/N")

    Bonus Content & Book Club Access: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  24. The Jonathan Franzen Interview

    Bonus Content & Book Club Access: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  25. Book Club: The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis

    Book Club Access & Bonus Content: Patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch here: https://youtu.be/oQ-y1uXh0w8

  26. Novelizing Reality & True Crime w/ Tiffany McDaniel ("On the Savage Side")

    Bonus Content & Book Club Access: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  27. Altering History & Metanarratives w/ Catherine Lacey ("Biography of X")

    Bonus Content & Book Club Access: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  28. Siblings, Queerness, & Literary Horror w/ Richard Mirabella ("Brother & Sister Enter the Forest")

    Bonus Content & Book Club Access: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  29. Crafting a Murder Mystery w/ Rebecca Makkai ("I Have Some Questions for You")

    READING THE ROOM PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  30. Patreon & Book Club Updates

    Watch Reading the Room Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readingtheroom.podcast/ Goodreads:...

  31. Short Fiction About Real People w/ Kathryn Scanlan ("Kick the Latch")

    READING THE ROOM PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  32. Love Stories with Noelle Gallagher

    Noelle's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@NoelleGallagher READING THE ROOM PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Discussion Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram:...

  33. Maggie Millner, "Couplets"

    READING THE ROOM PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  34. Billy-Ray Belcourt, "A Minor Chorus"

    READING THE ROOM PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  35. 2023 Podcast Plans and Q&A!

    READING THE ROOM PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Discussion Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  36. Most Anticipated Books of 2023 with CJ Reads

    READING THE ROOM PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Discussion Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  37. Tom Crewe, "The New Life"

    READING THE ROOM PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  38. Top 5 Books of 2022 with CJ Reads!

    READING THE ROOM PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Discussion Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  39. The Secret History by Donna Tartt Live Discussion!

    Watch Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMcJd6wz1_4

  40. Allie Rowbottom, "Aesthetica"

    READING THE ROOM PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  41. Chantal V. Johnson, "Post-traumatic"

    READING THE ROOM PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Purchase Post-traumatic: https://bookshop.org/a/81598/9780316264235 Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram:...

  42. Mona Awad, "All's Well" | The Halloween Special

    READING THE ROOM PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  43. Amina Cain, "A Horse at Night"

    READING THE ROOM PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Purchase A HORSE AT NIGHT: https://bookshop.org/a/81598/9781948980135 Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram:...

  44. The Ottessa Moshfegh Interview

    OTTESSA’S DEPOP: https://www.depop.com/realottessa/ READING THE ROOM PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Email: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/64819771-jaylen Storygraph:...

  45. Ainslie Hogarth, "Motherthing"

    PATREON to support the podcast and get bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Email: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/64819771-jaylen Storygraph:...

  46. Andrew Sean Greer, "Less is Lost"

    PATREON to support the podcast and get bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/readingtheroom Purchase Less is Lost: https://bookshop.org/a/81598/9780316498906 Books Andrew Mentioned/Recommended: Either/Or by Elif Batuman Booth by Karen Joy Fowler Travels with My Aunt by Graham Greene A Journey to...

  47. Tess Gunty, "The Rabbit Hutch"

    Purchase THE RABBIT HUTCH: https://bookshop.org/a/81598/9780593534663 Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Jaylen's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Reading the Room Instagram:...

  48. Sidik Fofana, "Stories from the Tenants Downstairs"

    Purchase STORIES FROM THE TENANTS DOWNSTAIRS: https://bookshop.org/a/81598/9781982145811 Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Goodreads:...

  49. 2022 Booker Prize Shortlist Reaction w/ Bernie Lombardi

    Follow Bernie: https://www.instagram.com/bernie.lombardi/ Watch the Discussion Here: https://youtu.be/aweDhBVInpw Email: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/64819771-jaylen Storygraph:...

  50. Anna Hogeland, "The Long Answer"

    Purchase THE LONG ANSWER: https://bookshop.org/a/81598/9780593418130 Watch the Interview Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/thebarandthebookcase Email: [email protected] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebarandthebookcase/ Goodreads:...

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ABOUT THIS SHOW

A literary podcast featuring author interviews and discussions with bookish content creators, hosted by Jaylen (aka @thebarandthebookcase on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok).

HOSTED BY

Jaylen Lopez (@thebarandthebookcase)

CATEGORIES

arts books

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Reading the Room have?

Reading the Room currently has 66 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.

What is Reading the Room about?

A literary podcast featuring author interviews and discussions with bookish content creators, hosted by Jaylen (aka @thebarandthebookcase on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok).

How often does Reading the Room release new episodes?

Reading the Room has 66 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.

Where can I listen to Reading the Room?

You can listen to Reading the Room on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.

Who hosts Reading the Room?

Reading the Room is created and hosted by Jaylen Lopez (@thebarandthebookcase).
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