Zero to Well-Read's 2025 Canon Contenders
Book Riot - The Podcast
12/29/25
•60m
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Jeff and Rebecca discuss the award-winning books, pop culture phenomena, book club picks, and crossover hits of 2025 and attempt to identify the ones that might someday join the canon.
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Email us: zerotowellread@bookriot.com
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Previous Episode
AI Was The Story of the Year
December 22, 2025
•52m
Jeff and Rebecca talk about how the story of the year in books was that there really wasn't a story. Except the big one. AI. Plus, NBCC longlists, getting boomers off slop, recent reading, and more.
Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
Subscribe to The Book Riot Newsletter for regular updates to get the most out of your reading life.
The Book Riot Podcast is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network.
Discussed in this episode:
Check out Zero to Well-Read!
PW names the top 10 bookselling stories of the year
The Wedding Date is getting a Netflix adaptation
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Next Episode
Our Most Anticipated Books of 2026
January 5
•47m
Jeff and Rebecca look at what we know of the 2026 publishing calendar to pick 10 books we are most excited about (with some quibbling and caveats). Lots to like this year.
Follow the podcast via RSS, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
Subscribe to The Book Riot Newsletter for regular updates to get the most out of your reading life.
The Book Riot Podcast is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network.
Discussed in this episode:
Check out Zero to Well-Read!
Come to Powell's to see Gabriel Tallent in Conversation with Jeff O'Neal
Vigil by George Saunders
On Morrison by Namwalli Serpell
Language as Liberation by Toni Morrison
Kin by Tayari Jones
Brawler by Lauren Groff
Python's Kiss by Louise Erdrich
London Falling by Patrick Radden Keefe
My Dear You by Rachel Khong
Go Gentle by Maria Semple
On Witness and Respair by Jesmyn Ward
Country People by Daniel Mason
Cool Machine by Colson Whitehead
Exit Party Emily St. John Mandel
American Hagwon by Min Jin Lee
Transcription by Ben Lerner
Last Night in Brooklyn by Xochitl Gonzalez
Depths of Wikipedia by Annie Rauwerda
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