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New Books in Biography

Marshall Poe
William Sharman Crawford
Ulster Radicalism
Contemporary Palestinian Literature
Spanish Fashion
Catholic Emancipation
Great Irish Famine
Leadership
Palestine
Trauma
Philip IV
Mateo Aguado
16th and 17th Century Court Tailoring
Tenant League
Spinoza
Ibrahim Nasrallah
Winthrop Bell
Intertextuality
World War I
Fiorello La Guardia
Mollie Moon

This podcast is a channel on the New Books Network. The New Books Network is an academic audio library dedicated to public education. In each episode you will hear scholars discuss their recently published research with another expert in their field. Discover our 150+ channels and browse our 28,000+ episodes on our website: ⁠newbooksnetwork.com⁠ Subscribe to our free weekly Substack newsletter to ... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes1909Founded15 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureHistory

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Artwork for New Books in Biography

Latest Episodes

The first biography of the revolutionary political prisoner who laid the foundation for contemporary abolitionist struggles and Black anarchism.

A Continuous Struggle: The Revolutionary Life of Martin Sostre (AK Press, 2025) is a political biography... more

When it comes to the condition of Jews in Christian Europe, France was long known as the haven and heartland of integration and of toleration. And yet when things seemed to be going well for Jews in Western Europe and North America generally and Fran... more

Throughout US history, only three Black women—Shirley Chisholm, Carol Moseley Braun, and Kamala Harris—have given successfully recognized bids for the office of president of the United States. In A Black Woman for President: Shirley Chisholm, Carol M... more

In this NBN episode, host Hollay Ghadery speaks with Sunny Dhillon about his book, Hide & Sikh: Letters from a Life in Brown Skin (Wolsak & Wynn, 2025). In 2018, Sunny Dhillon resigned as a journalist with the Globe and Mail. His blog post announcing... more

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Recent Guests

Janet Kintner
Retired judge and author of 'A Judge's Tale: A Trailblazer Fights for her Place on the Bench'
Episode: Janet Kintner, "A Judge’s Tale: A Trailblazer Fights for her Place on the Bench" (She Writes Press, 2025)
Peter Stansky
Emeritus Professor of History at Stanford University and author of "The Socialist Patriot: George Orwell and War"
Stanford University
Episode: Peter Stansky, "The Socialist Patriot: George Orwell and War" (Stanford UP, 2023)
Thomas Aiello
A Professor of History and Africana Studies
Valdosta State University
Episode: Thomas Aiello, "Return of the King: The Rebirth of Muhammad Ali and the Rise of Atlanta" (U Nebraska Press, 2025)
Betty Boyd Caroli
Historian and author of "A Slumless America"
Oxford University Press
Episode: Betty Boyd Caroli, "A Slumless America: Mary K. Simkhovitch and the Dream of Affordable Housing" (Oxford UP, 2026)
Duy Lap Nguyen
Associate Professor in World Cultures and Literatures
University of Houston
Episode: Duy Lap Nguyen, "Walter Benjamin and the Critique of Political Economy: A New Historical Materialism" (Bloomsbury, 2024)
Ben Ratliff
Author and former music critic for The New York Times
NYU
Episode: Ben Ratliff, "Run the Song: Writing About Running About Listening" (Graywolf Press, 2025)
Christopher Lynch
Author of Formulating Foster
Oxford University Press
Episode: Christopher Lynch, "Formulating Foster: Stephen C. Foster and the Creation of a National Musical Myth" (Oxford UP, 2025)
Oline Eaton
Author of "Finding Jackie, A Life Reinvented"
Diversion Books
Episode: Oline Eaton, "Finding Jackie: The Second Act of America's First Lady" (Diversion Books, 2023)
Giles Tremlett
Prize-winning biographer and historian specializing in 20th-century Spain
Oxford University Press
Episode: Giles Tremlett, "El Generalísimo: A Biography of Francisco Franco" (Oxford UP, 2025)

Hosts

Dr. Miranda Melcher
Host of the New Books Network, engaging in discussions on various scholarly topics
Benjamin Phillips
Host of New Books in Biography, exploring the narratives of impactful figures through scholarly discussions.

Reviews

3.9 out of 5 stars from 100 ratings
  • Competent interviewers

    The whole New Books Network needs to find brisk and engaging interviewers. I’ll skim the topics to look for interesting books, but I don’t listen anymore.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    dougtex
    United States2 years ago
  • May 2023 review

    Interesting stories; however, the interviewer is boring and many of the story tellers are also boring in their telling of these stories. His does this happen?

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Geoplanter
    United States3 years ago
  • Hard To Like

    The podcast’s concept is interesting, but the execution is hard to like. There are frequent audio challenges. In addition, many of the authors write much better than they speak.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Jim 2020
    United States6 years ago
  • ???

    The echo is too distracting. I think the host is great, but please invest in better equipment.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Foggy Star
    United States9 years ago
  • Arguably Best of the New Books Network

    A terrific host really makes these podcasts rise above even the already high standard of the New Books Network.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    K555566667778
    United States9 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Feedback highlights the engaging nature of hosts and their ability to bring complex topics to light, although execution can sometimes falter.
Some critiques mention challenges with audio quality, affecting the overall listening experience.
Listeners appreciate the depth and scholarly nature of discussions, often finding the content enriching and informative.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#116
Chile/Society & Culture

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Betty Boyd Caroli, "A Slumless America: Mary K. Simkhovitch and the Dream of Affordable Housing" (Oxford UP, 2026)
Q: How did Mary deal with the housing affordability crisis and what was her legacy in this context?
Mary believed in exposing people to housing problems and worked diligently for decades to advocate for government funding and policies to support affordable housing, which remains a relevant issue today.
Betty Boyd Caroli, "A Slumless America: Mary K. Simkhovitch and the Dream of Affordable Housing" (Oxford UP, 2026)
Q: Can you talk a little about her relationship with her husband, Vladimir Simkhovitch?
Vladimir was a witty individual who had princely ambitions but struggled financially, leading to a complex relationship where Mary often supported them both.
Najati Sidqi, "Memoirs of a Palestinian Communist: The Secret Life of Najati Sidqi" (U Texas Press, 2025)
Q: What are you currently working on?
I'm working on translating a book called al-Hayy al-Rusi, about a giraffe during the Syrian Civil War, and an in-depth collective biography of Najati Sidqi and his family.
Najati Sidqi, "Memoirs of a Palestinian Communist: The Secret Life of Najati Sidqi" (U Texas Press, 2025)
Q: When you were translating, did you feel like you were navigating what he says and what he can't bring himself to say?
Absolutely. There's a lot that he leaves out. He leaves out any trace of Lotka except she appears a couple of times, kind of silently helping him to elude the police.
Peter Stansky, "The Socialist Patriot: George Orwell and War" (Stanford UP, 2023)
Q: How did this gradual shift come about in George Orwell's political beliefs?
Orwell's move to the left was gradual; it was influenced by his experiences as a police officer in Burma and later by the conditions he witnessed during the Spanish Civil War.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About New Books in Biography

What is New Books in Biography about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Focused on the exploration of biographies, this podcast presents in-depth conversations with scholars who have recently published their works. Episodes cover a diverse range of topics, spanning historical figures, cultural icons, and significant events, often highlighting the contextual nuances of their subjects' lives. With expert discussions, listeners gain insights into the complexities of personal narratives and their implications on broader societal narratives. The unique structure allows for cross-disciplinary exchanges, making it appealing for those with interests in history, biography, and cultural studies, while also informing the public about academic research in an accessible manner.

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Which podcasts are similar to New Books in Biography?

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1. The Rest Is History
2. The Foreign Affairs Interview
3. The Ezra Klein Show
4. The Rest Is Classified
5. The President’s Inbox

How many episodes of New Books in Biography are there?

New Books in Biography launched 15 years ago and published 1909 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on New Books in Biography?

Recent guests on New Books in Biography include:

1. Janet Kintner
2. Peter Stansky
3. Thomas Aiello
4. Betty Boyd Caroli
5. Duy Lap Nguyen
6. Ben Ratliff
7. Christopher Lynch
8. Oline Eaton

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