First Edition

BookRiot.com co-founder Jeff O'Neal explores the wide bookish world. Interviews, lists, rankings, retrospectives, recommendations, and much more, featuring people who know and love books.

Trying to Make English Spelling EZ: Gabe Henry & ENOUGH IS ENUF

Jeff talks to Gabe Henry about his new book, Enough is Enuf: Our Failed Attempts to Make English Easier to Spell. For centuries, a series of thinkers, writers, politicians, and bankers have been advocating to make English easier to spell. It hasn't really worked. But the effort is fascinating.

Jon Hickey & BIG CHIEF

Jeff talks to Jon Hickey about his debut novel, Big Chief.

Katie Kitamura & AUDITION

Jeff talks to the great Katie Kitamura about her new novel, Audition (it is very, very good).

21 Books I’ve Got My Eye on This Month (April 2025)

Jeff talks about 21 books coming out this month that caught his eye.

Writing the Big One with Emma Pattee, Author of TILT

Jeff talks to Emma Pattee about her debut novel, Tilt

Making Phosphorus Interesting: WHITE LIGHT and How to Make a Microhistory

Jeff is joined by Jack Lohmann, author of the new book White Light: The Elemental Role of Phosphorus-in Our Cells, in Our Food, and in Our World

The Reading Life of Stephen Graham Jones

Jeff talks to Stephen Graham Jones about his reading life.

How Hollywood Shaped Joan Didion with Alissa Wilkinson

Alissa Wilkinson joins Jeff to talk about her new book, We Tell Ourselves Stories: Joan Didion and the American Dream Machine.

A Gift from the Internet, Murder Ballads, and Liking Your Writing with Amal El-Mohtar

Jeff talks to Amal El-Mohtar about This is How You Lose the Time War getting one of greatest bookish gifts ever bestowed by the internet before talking about her new book, The River Has Roots.

10 Notecards with Scaachi Koul

Saachi Koul joins Jeff to talk about her new book, Sucker Punch with a new little format for First Edition called "10 Notecards With..." Jeff has picked out 10 things from the new book--words, ideas, stories, etc--written them on notecards, and then has Saachi pick them in a random (at least at the start order). Turned out to be a lot of fun, so expect to hear more of these.

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