To those complaining about not getting plot summaries...it’s a short podcast, the important thing is what moved the authors most about the book! If you’re intrigued - look the plot up. I love the more nuanced, meaningful conversations on here about what makes a story so impactful for someone and I have found some truly awesome books I wouldn’t have known about otherwise!

If you can get past the tonally offensive voice and dimwitted comments from the host, Elizabeth, then you’ll love this podcast. Be prepared to endure endless banter with very little substance. Looking for insights on why something is worth reading? Seeking to know the style, plot, characters or anything else about the books these people recommend? No need to look here, because you won’t find it. (I would heartily recommend a certain book host from KCRW, but then you’d think I have some stake in recommending him, which I don’t. I can recognize someone, however, who knows what he’s talking about. Comparing Michael Silverblatt with this faint effort is like comparing 🍎 with 🍊.)

“Have you always been a reader?”, asks Elizabeth. “No”, said Diamond, “I began reading at the age of three”. Fantastic! “Once you’ve been to New Guinea, the rest of the world is boring”, said Diamond. “Babies learn to be careful”, says Diamond. The way Jared Diamond choose to raise his children, which he had at the age of 50, based upon his studies of New Guinea families are very refreshing in our modern helicopter parent world. Jared Diamond (author, historian, musician, linguist, scholar, etc.) one of the last well rounded, thoughtful geniuses on planet Earth.

Why tf would you interview people about books ..and not give ANY plot summaries? Why am I listening to celebrities’ thoughts about a particular book when I have no idea what they’re talking about? Unless you’ve read said book, it’s meaningless. Also - hyper-liberal. Can’t do an episode without mentioning left-wing politics, apparently. Irritating.

Elizabeth, Thank you for this interview. I’m a “Big Fan!!!” Of Jared Diamond, Darwin, Ekman and the like. I’m not a Scientist or of the Scholarly type but was “a Fly on the Wall” for Carla Dove and her team from the Smithsonian Department in Djibouti Africa. This was my one of last tours and I never knew that I was going to ever meet them. Special thanks to a Taxidermist by the name of Matt Klope. He was the Leading Aircraft Bird Strike Investigators and found out that I am an avid Bird Watcher and he introduced them to me. I just hadda put my personal thoughts in this post because this means so much to hear “Modern Day Explorers Like Jared Diamond in his own words...” Thank you immensely... “Nothing is new...” Easter Island, Mayans, Greenland??? “Nothing is new if no one Knew...”

Yes! This book-centered podcast is an endless well of great topics for discussion!

what fun!!! i love the voices you’ve collected so far and am eager to know who we’ll hear from next and what we will learn!

I love goodreads community and have used to for years to organize my reading life. I already have loved the first two I interviews and am subscribed for all of the rest

Love this so hard. New favorite podcast!!

This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! Intelligent, thought provoking, honest real conversations. I’m anxious to share with my book loving friends.

What a nice thing to add to my life - talking about books! Also a great source for my "read next" list. From Goodreads of course. Well done!!

Great job on first podcast from Goodreads.

Just started getting into it, but it’s lo king like a keeper. Love the basic set up. I always love reading the “on my bedside table” feature in vanity fair and this is like that but awesomer. God we need more books. And more talking about the hints in books.

This seems so obvious! Why has this taken so long? It’s a real conversation about good books. Love it!!

It was a tough day for America, and binging the first few episodes of this podcast was just what the doctor ordered. It's smart, it's interesting, it's emotional, it's so well done. Consider me hooked. I'm adding a lot of these books to my library list — and looking forward to more of these episodes!

Books of Your Life is a civilized and smart interview show hosted by the founder of Goodreads. I Just listened to the first 3 episodes in a row and I love host’s voice and the whole tone of the show. I even just bought a copy of Thirst and can’t wait to start it! Keep it up!