Want to take your love for literature even further? Or want to read but can’t find the motivation? Wherever you are in your reading journey, podcasts can only serve to make it an even more fun and meaningful experience. The beauty of it is just like there are many genres, there are also different kinds of podcasts that entertain, inform or make it seem like you’re talking to a group of close friends.

So whatever flavor you’re into, we’ve got a bunch of bookish podcasts that explore the literary world in their own ways. Go ahead, take a listen. 

Books & Boba

Hosted by Marvin Yueh and Reera Yoo, Books & Boba is a podcast that highlights books written by authors of Asian descent. Every month, the hosts pick a book to read and discuss on the show. Aside from book discussions, Books & Boba also interviews authors and covers publishing news such as book deals and new releases. So get yourself a tall cup of milk tea with boba, and enjoy book talk at the same time! 

Novel Pairings

Novel Pairings makes the classics readable, relevant and fun as Chelsey and Sara talk about the role of classic literature without being too academic about it. These two self-proclaimed nerdy bookworms will also help stock your “to be read” list with old and new reads for every literary taste. Your TBR list will thank you.

The Slowdown

The Slowdown is a podcast that will allow you to see the world differently through poetry. Hosted by Tracy K. Smith, the show highlights works by American poets that she believes hold a great deal of significance and power. Smith describes this weekday-podcast as “a conversation between the listener and whatever poem is up for the day.” The Slowdown is produced in partnership with the Poetry Foundation, and a project supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Worst Bestsellers

The Worst Bestsellers hosts Kait and Renata invite a guest to talk about popular books of questionable quality. In this podcast, the hosts read these books to learn what’s popular and how to give better good readers advice. “We make jokes about the books we read, but our intent is never to make fun of readers,” the hosts said. 

Reading Women

Two friends started Reading Women in 2016 to share their love of books by or about women. The podcast then expanded to include women from around the world, each sharing her unique perspective on the world and literature. Now releasing new episodes every Wednesday, Reading Women has grown into an organization that holds author interviews, puts out a weekly newsletter, and features the yearly Reading Women Award, among others.

LeVar Burton Reads

“The best short fiction, handpicked by the best voice in podcasting.” LeVar Burton Reads is a show that invites you to take a break from your daily life while diving into a great story. Burton’s narration blends with gorgeous soundscapes to bring stories by Neil Gaiman, Haruki Murakami, Octavia Butler, Ray Bradbury and more to life. What’s not to love? 

Book Fight

Book Fight is a weekly podcast that, simply put, talks about writing. It is a show where writers discuss the writing they love and hate, and the writing that inspires, baffles and infuriates them. If you’re someone who is interested in good writing, this podcast is for you. Book Fight won an award for Best Streaming Media Project at the Philly Geek Awards 2015.

Coffee and Books

Hosted by Marc Lamont Hill, Coffee and Books podcast talks with authors and prominent public figures who share the backstory behind their latest book. It features an organic conversation that flows naturally from the book at hand, through the writer’s journey, and of course, the author’s own taste in books. Hill is a noted author, social commentator, professor, and owner of a coffee shop and bookstore in Philadelphia named Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee & Books.

Thoughts from a Page Podcast

Hosted by Cindy Burnett, Thoughts from a Page interviews authors and individuals from the publishing industry about the latest and greatest books, as well as trends in the industry. This podcast will not only help you find great new reads, but also keep you updated on what’s up and coming in publishing.