Great addition. Reminiscent of the excellent staff discussions at the end of the old format. Please keep the Book Club going. Gilbert makes it sound experimental. It worked well in the past and has really improved the podcast’s overall quality.

I like the new book club feature (tho MJs speaking voice for radio needs oomph) but they would need to be more frequent to up the chance of even occasionally having read the book in question. And please at least 2x a month bring back the classic episodes with several books covered, author interview, etc.

The old format wasn’t broken, why fix it? I enjoy Cruz, just bring back the old segments on publishing world, what critics are reading, etc.

I’ve listened to this podcast for years and I really miss the old format and length. It was great hearing from authors or reviewers about new books coming out and hearing about old books I forgot about or hadn’t heard of before in the what are we reading section. This new format feels like it forgot about the listeners and is just catered to the editor and his likes. It’s also way too short! Go back to the old format and make MJ Franklin the host!

I love this podcast and rely on it for suggestions on books to read and especially audiobooks. I agree with you that many more people are using audiobooks as we can do so much more with those pods in our ears. Thank you so much.

After 15 years of listening religiously, especially after Pamela Paul took over, i can't even bother some weeks. Women buy the books and women do most of the reading, and yet it's a male-centric podcast now. And boring, by the way.

I still find smart and interesting discussions here but I miss news from the publishing world and especially miss hearing what people at the Books desk are reading,

I agree with the many recent reviews about the downhill slide of this podcast. I keep waiting for the NYT to respond to their long term followers and make some changes. They could start by replacing Cruz.

This is really annoying. I am interested in what you have to say, but interjecting “like” in almost every sentence makes it almost unlistenable. You are smarter than that.

New format seems to get a lot of flack but I like it well enough 🤷‍♂️

Hello I like your point of view and enjoy listening but have to turn it off when the reviewers can’t speak without every other word being “like”.

I’m sure the old format was difficult to produce, but I’m not sure that this new format has much to offer. The old format offered reviews of fiction, non-fiction, publishing news, discussion of reading, etc. Each episode was worthwhile because I never knew what I would learn. The new format means it’s only worth it to listen to the episodes already of particular interest to me. I’m left not knowing what I don’t know. Please consider returning to the old format. It was a joy.

This cast just gets less and less useful for readers.

This podcast used to be the highlight of my week when Pamela Paul was the host. Her interviews with authors and colleagues were thoughtful, entertaining, and joyful. It was a podcast for us book nerds and a gift during COVID to fight feelings of isolation. The quality of the podcast crashed when Pamela left. I stopped following it because it is too depressing to experience what's become of it. I hope one day the NY Times returns to caring about books and the subscribers who love them.

Been listening for many years. Enjoyed listening to Sam Tanenhaus’ and Pamela Paul’s thoughtful approaches. The new format is a cop out, doing the minimum and simply leaves me waiting for the missing segments. Very disappointing. April 18: In a recent podcast for example, Cruz discussed Judy Blume’s book “Are You there God? it’s me, Margaret.” Cruz hadn’t bothered to read the book. I don’t understand his inertia. Sad end coming, I’m afraid, to this once terrific podcast. Stopped listening gone to other more interesting book podcasts. A year later still disappointing. Feb 2024. Many of us have moved on. Cruz is undoubtedly a nice guy but doesn’t compare with previous hosts. And the NYT is obviously disinterested.

Enjoyed this wonderful, normal, honest conversation about author’s open marriage.

I really miss the old format of the Book Review Podcast, which typically involved an in-depth author interview, news from the publishing world, and an informal chat with a few of the editors about what they were reading (for work and for pleasure). In the days of the old podcast, I felt well-informed. I knew what books to look forward to and in any given year, which books won which awards. My list of holds at the Brooklyn Public Library was always at its max. Since the podcast changed hands, I have absolutely no sense of what’s being published when. I struggle to find new books. I walk through the book store and none of the titles or authors are familiar. Please bring the old format back!

This podcast used to be amazing, but it’s just gone downhill. I used to love PP’s author interviews.

I have been an avid listener of this podcast for years, and loved it when Pamela Paul was the host. Her interviews were very in-depth and engaging, and I enjoyed the updates from the publishing world as well. Ever since Ms. Paul moved on, the podcast has been very lackluster. The episode lengths are drastically shorter and inconsistent, and there seems to be no rhyme or reason on topics and shows. It feels very amateurish now. Gilbert Cruz doesn’t ask many insightful questions or offer any sort intellectual depth with his commentary, and generally comes across as disinterested in the entire enterprise. I hope that the NYT will restore this show back to its former caliber.

I’m delighted to have found this podcast. The easy conversational format, insightful reviews, she host, the guests, Joumana and Sadie are my favorites, the book selection, all work for me. I listen guilt-free, knowing as a mom of two young kids, that I won’t read most of the books but the recommendations are just so enjoyable.

You probably won’t see my comment but can you PLLLLLLEEEEEAAAAASSSSEEEEE review the book ( Going Viral ) it is my new favorite book and I want to see what you think of it

I wanted to give the new format a chance since it takes a while for people to find their footing but I too have no more interest in this podcast. It was my favorite since Sam Tanenbaum. With a few exceptions, it was author focused and reader focused. A great mix of author interviews and staff writers giving their opinions and sharing current reading. I’m in mourning.

This used to be my favorite podcast. I have listened for years and years, and I am slowly giving up hope that it will return to the compelling experience that I looked forward to every Friday. I’ve been rooting for Gilbert and team, but whatever the new mix is, it’s just not working, and I’m so sad about it.

⭐️ One star for YOU. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ FIVE STARS FOR BARBRA STREISAND No one will remember you in 75 years but Barbra will always reign supreme.

Gilbert Cruz is too self-involved to be interested in books and their authors. I miss interesting interviews of authors and critics. I miss hearing what staff members are currently reading. I miss Pamela Paul and John Williams and the former podcast format.

Miss hearing about news of the publishing world and about reviews/interviews with authors about new books. Seems every podcast now is a look back at books that were released 10+ years ago or book recommendations for whatever holiday is around the corner. Pamela Paul had her moments of annoyance or mediocrity (like reminding everyone every week she was reading either Les Miserables in the original French) but Gilbert is just awful at hosting this show. I came to this podcast to feel inspired to widen my scope of books/novels, and now I just find each episode making me not want to read.

I was tolerating Gilbert Cruz. He seems like a careerist straight guy and not a bookish person but he was OK as a host of the podcast until he said I can’t imagine readers of the book review and listeners of the podcast are interested in Barbra Streisand? Why can’t he imagine that? She’s a gay icon. Gays like to read. What planet does he live on? Can’t he be moved from books to the sports section?

I have enjoyed several of Ann Patchett’s books. I sat down in a great recliner, with my feet way up prepared to do nothing but listen for 1/2 hr to her interview. I turned it off after 5-6 minutes. The rate of speech was so brisk, so rushed. Listening was the opposite of relaxation. It’s not just this interview. What is going on? Both my husband and I have noticed this with many NPR broadcasts of late. It feels/sounds like the audio engineers are slightly speeding up the recordings. Is this true? Has anyone else noticed this, or is it simply that our ears have slowed down? We have noticed that 25–35 year olds have begun to speak very rapidly, but Ann Patchett? Really am curious, any feedback welcome.

What’s the point of interesting guests if the host doesn’t shut up? He is way to verbose and repeats himself and a five word question becomes a too long paragraph . Bring back Pamela Paul!

This is a Book Review podcast, (not Sway), and you talk about Elon Musk rather than Walter Isaacson. I think he’s an extraordinary biographer—who could make the founder of Cinnabon sound as interesting as Henry Kissinger.

This went from being my absolute favorite podcast to being pretty much unlistenable. New host Gilbert Cruz seems much more interested in talking about himself than he is in asking questions. Half the time he hasn’t even read the books. I guess on the positive side, Cruz doesn’t seem to care enough about the podcast to even put it out every week. So he’s both lazy AND incompetent.

The NYTBR podcast used to be my favorite pod, hands down. Sadly, it’s become barely listenable ever since Gilbert Cruz became Book Review editor. It sounds amateurish, the questions in the interviews aren't good, even the sound quality isn’t! I miss the industry news sections, the criticism discussing what they’re reading, etc. Pamela Paul ran a great show and I miss it sorely. It seems Cruz doesn’t think the podcast is an important product. He even said something that indicated he was frustrated or annoyed that people listen to the podcast rather than read the book review, like, “I guess since it’s 2023, some people only listen to the podcast and don’t read the book review.” Mr. Cruz, I suggest you think of the podcast as a way to “perform” the print book review and to make it as polished as that version. You have a number of staff who know how to make a good podcast. Let them do that for you and since you don’t seem into it, someone else can host. (Or they could at least write your script for you — often it sounds like you’re winging the questions.) As host, I suggest Alexandra Alter. She has a certain brightness and liveliness in her voice that would make her an excellent host. Please bring back the professionally produced variety show with a host who isn’t disdainful of podcasts!

One of my favorites. I look forward to hearing it each week.

It took a while for Pamela Paul to hit her stride so I’ve kept listening in hopes that the new host and format would develop into another good podcast. But it seems he’s just filling the slot and doing the bare minimum until someone who really likes the job is hired. If so, I hope that happens soon.

Love the podcast, been listening to it for over a decade. But occasionally the guests are awful— andrew Sullivan?! Come on! That guy is so transphobic. Do better, please!

I’m a longtime listener and am genuinely shocked by the aggressive negative comments about the host. This show has always seemed to me to be a labor of love by the editors and critics of the Book Review. It was fun when Sam Tanenhouse was host. It was surprisingly emotional and nerdy (in the best sense of the word) with Pamela Paul handling things. And now, I find Gilbert Cruz to be someone in tune with popular culture and crafting the show to appeal to a younger and wider audience. A very smart move for the podcast. I enjoy what he’s doing and the guests seem to be enjoying it too!

The old format and host of the podcast made it my favorite. I hardly listen anymore. There must be a way to breathe some life back into it. I hope that with all of the reviews saying similar things, the NYT will do something about it.

I only check in with this podcast from time to time and am always surprised at the degree to which they spoil novels’ plots. Just as they were finishing their review of ‘Master Slave Husband Wife,’ one of them casually spoils the end of the novel! For no reason whatsoever—it was just said in passing. And then two of them gigglingly say “Spoiler alert,” AFTER they drop the spoiler!! Unbelievable. If these people were my friends I would avoid talking to them about books. Can’t believe people can be so knowledgeable about books and still be so dense about what a listener wants from a book reviewer. If you tell us a novel’s ending, you’re destroying the element of suspense. Tell us what we need to know in order to be enticed and no more.

This used to be my absolute favorite podcast, I loved the author interviews. Now it seems like an afterthought that they are barely putting effort in to throw together. I understand the editors are busy but could they find literally anyone else who has time to do this well? So weird that they would tank something that people love so much. I miss the old podcast but the new version is unlistenable so trying to explore other book podcasts to fill this void.

Good to know my Fridays can be normal again

Does Gilbert Cruz read books 😫

Good to have the review back.

The new format is a real disappointment. Pamela Paul had a much more engaging and informative structure — and a wonderfully effective interview style. Please fix it — this is a huge waste of what could be a valuable weekly podcast.

Wow, has this podcast fallen off the quality cliff since the restart. This was a must-listen podcast since it’s inception but now it’s not worth a listen!

I was a huge fan of the original, and although Pamela Paul sometimes hogged the mic, this new iteration has swung way too far in the other direction. It’s like reading the blurbs on a book jacket, instead of hearing an insightful conversation. I hope Gilbert Cruz is allotted enough resources to bring back the quality.

This used to be my favorite podcast. Now, it’s been completely gutted and drained. The short and poorly produced recent pieces are an insult to the polished, insightful, and always interesting podcasts that were produced under the helm of Pamela Paul and John Williams. I don’t even bother anymore when I used to listen and look forward to every single show.

As other reviews have stated, the new revamped version is not engaging to me at all. I’m guessing it’s a LOT of work to produce a weekly podcast with meaningful interviews, but this new content feels almost like a high school-produced show. Gilbert Cruz is fine, but please give him material to work with! Along with other reviewers, I also don’t care when the new episodes drop anymore, nor do I finish the episodes. So sad:(

Why are there no interviews with authors? This podcast directed by Gilbert Cruz is extremely disappointing. His interviews with his staff are demeaning to the staff. What, if anything is Gilbert Cruz reading? Seeing that John Williams picture is still on the podcast, bring him back.

This used to be such a good podcast, and now it’s awful. The host is not a conversationalist. The guests are the editors who were always the least interesting voices from the previous iteration of the show — yes, you Greg, Mr. I’m-Reading-Ulysses. They might as well stop doing it.

The new version of this podcast is a big disappointment. Under Pamela Paul, it wasn’t always great but it moved at a good pace and included a variety of perspectives, genres, etc. When she left it drifted or didn’t appear for a few months and is now back under the new editor who has basically dumbed it down and made it boring. I just listened to him interview two reviewers who discussed epistolary novels and Willa Cather’s “My Antonia.” Really? With all the books being published every week you choose these dull reviewers discussing duller books? I turned it off after being warned that the next segment would be on poetry, which interests me not at all. It’s so clear that this podcast has become an afterthought to the editors of the book review…they haven’t even bothered to change the names and photos of the editor or participants on the show’s page. I’m a devoted reader of the Book Review and I’m not giving up yet, but please make this podcast more interesting.