The art of oral storytelling is as old as the human language. Our ancestors shared stories after sunset, sitting in a circle around a bonfire. Today, podcasts are connecting the global community  

In the world where 30 second-visuals with loud music constantly exhaust the mind, listening is a life skill, revived by podcasts. There are times when I want to read but am too tired, or I am overwhelmed by what I should read. Then, listening to book podcasts helps.

It goes without saying we can’t read everything that is published; these podcasts are a good way to be in touch with the global literary world. 

Here’s a list of some podcasts I enjoy feeding my ‘book-craving soul’ with. They are all available for free on Spotify, Google Podcasts and Apple.

The Book Review: This show is hosted by Gilbert Cruz and editors at The New York Times Book Review. They invite the best authors and critics to join the talk and discuss the week’s top books, news from the literary world and give recommendations. You can listen to it here. You can also check out the website.

The Booker Prize: This is a weekly podcast with lively conversations and fascinating insights from the Booker Prizes. The presenters make it very clear that the podcast is independent of the jury’s decisions and evaluation. They revisit winning novels from past years, speak to authors and experts from the literary world. With them, we get a sneak peek into all that is happening in the current year’s International Booker Prize and Booker Prize. You can listen to it here and explore the website.

BBC Radio: Books & Authors: I discovered this while talking to an author who was featured ages back in the audio stories. This podcast features BBC’s two programmes: ‘Open Book’ and ‘A Good Read’.

‘Open Book’ talks to authors about their work. In ‘A Good Read’, Harriett Gilbert discusses favourite books. Needless to say, the production is excellent. You can listen to the podcasts here. Click for website.

Borrowed: I discovered this while browsing for podcasts. This podcast is by the Brooklyn Public Library. I was pleasantly surprised to see that a public library had taken this initiative. The name just matched the purpose of a library.

It has stories from the library, its local community, such as the history of Black women’s suffrage and why Brooklyn produces great writers. There is even a curated book list. You can find it here. You can even browse through the website.

Shakespeare and Company: I discovered this through ‘Borrowed’. Apparently, the two podcasts mention each other in the introduction. But the find was worth it. I like it because it’s an initiative by a bookshop in Paris.

‘Shakespeare and Company: Writers, Books and Paris’ streams the conversations live from their bookshop in Paris. Hosted by their Literary Director, Adam Biles, it has conversations with acclaimed authors, writers.

There is the option of taking a subscription, which gives access to ‘classic’ episodes. This money supports ‘Friends of Shakespeare and Company’, the bookshop’s non-profit association. You can listen to it here. Browse through the website.

All the Books: This podcast is hosted by the editors of ‘Book Riot’. It explores many things related to books and has engaging conversations. You can find it here. Check out the website.

The Book Club Review: This is achatty podcast by Kate and Laura. They chat about the books recently read by their book clubs. The promise is, “lively and frank reviews and recommendations, both from us and from members of our book clubs, plus interviews with book clubs, book shops and book lovers of all stripes. Just be warned, your TBR pile is about to grow exponentially”. Listen to the podcast here. You can also go to the website.

What Should I Read Next? I got interested in this because of the name. We are always in search of recommendations on what to read. This weekly podcast is by Anne Bogel, who blogs at Modern Mrs Darcy. She has interviews with readers and also gives recommendations. You can find it here.  

The Shameless Book Club: This is another conversational podcast. The presenters Zara, Mich and Annabelle select a fictional read for the Shameless community at the beginning and end of every month. You can listen to it here and explore the website.

Poured Over by Barnes & Noble: B&N doesn’t need an introduction, nevertheless a little bit of the background helps. The trade name was acquired by a bookseller named Leonard Riggio in 1971, along with flagship bookstore in Manhattan, New York. Even now, it is considered the No 1 book retailer in the US. I discovered the podcast via their newsletter. It covers authors from all streams and they even have video editions of their podcasts on YouTube. You can listen to this show here.

Last, but not the least, I hope you enjoy this discussion on the JCB Longlist. The participants were Blogchatter team comprising Geethica, Sona and Suchita and bloggers Siddhant Aggarwal, Chandra Sundeep and myself. Even though we know the winner is Fire Bird by Perumal Murugan, do listen to hear our short takes on the authors and their plots and heroes and what resonated with each participant. Click here.

Here are some tips to have the best experience while listening to your book podcast:

1. Choose a time when you won’t be disturbed, no bells, no couriers, no calls.
2. Sit in a comfortable position. Lying down means going to sleep.
3. Choose big headphones or speakers, instead of ear plugs. I find earplugs can be painful if you listen for a long time, and I believe harmful as well, if used regularly.
4. Wear comfortable clothes, you don’t want to keep changing sides to adjust your clothing.
5. Keep your coffee, snacks at hand.
6. Keep eyes closed, for you need to let the voice work its magic. Who wants to keep staring at a wall?

I hope the list and tips help you find a good book podcast that you will enjoy!

This post is part of the Bookish League blog hop hosted by Bohemian Bibliophile.