Best ABC News | Charlie Gibson Podcasts (2025)

1
We Get a Little Deeper with David K. Shipler 38:31

2d ago38:31

38:31

We loved talking to David K. Shipler so much that we wanted to squeeze one more show out of our conversation. We talked so much on our last episode about the role of interpreters in journalism, but we also talked about going from fiction to nonfiction and the importance of good journalism, now more than ever. We hope you enjoy as much as we did. Fi…

1
David K. Shipler Interprets Interpreters 35:52

9d ago35:52

35:52

The Interpreter is a beautiful book about the end of the war in Vietnam and one interpreter’s story as his country is torn apart and remade over and over throughout his lifetime. David K. Shipler is arguably one of the greatest journalists of our time. A veteran reporter who wrote about Russia, Vietnam, and Israel (to name a few), he has a Pulitzer…

1
Niall Williams and Christine Breen: The Director's Cut 38:29

16d ago38:29

38:29

If you are a devoted GMA watcher (and you should be), you know that about a month ago we sat down with the great Irish native writing couple of Niall Williams and Christine Breen. What an amazing twosome they make, and we can’t get enough of talking to them. So we offer you the extended Niall Williams and Christine Breen interview. It was such fun …

1
Harlan Coben Writes Like It’s His Job 37:13

25d ago37:13

37:13

Harlan Coben has authored close to 40 books with some seriously good writing. His latest, Nobody’s Fool, takes a detective from an already existing book and TV series, blows up their story and creates mysteries within mysteries. Great plot twists, memorable characters and page turning action are all here…how does he turn great books out over and ov…

1
Two Great Summer Reads Arrive in Spring 31:31

1M ago31:31

31:31

It’s a two for one show and do bear with us, because it’s two books we loved, AND you get two authors in one podcast. One book is a darkly comic novel, All the Other Mothers Hate Me by Sarah Harman, and the other is Homestand, which is a wonderful nonfiction read about the loss of minor league baseball in small town America by Will Bardenwerper. Pl…

1
Colum McCann And his Twist on Great Literature 33:05

1M ago33:05

33:05

Colum McCann’s newest, Twist, explores how the world of underwater fiber cables has vital physical and metaphoric meaning in our day to day lives. Sound dull? We promise you, it’s a literary marvel and a page turner to boot. The men and women who live to make, repair and find these cables are fascinating characters. And Twist is a beautiful novel a…

1
Kaveh Akbar and Tommy Orange: The Author Friendship 36:21

2M ago36:21

36:21

Kaveh Akbar and Tommy Orange are a writer’s circle of two. We can’t remember how we first heard they were close friends, but we knew it when we interviewed them and were thrilled when we heard they might be touring together. Tune in to find out how these two amazing authors encourage and challenge each other. Find books mentioned on The Book Case: …

1
Curtis Sittenfeld Tells Great Stories 40:53

2M ago40:53

40:53

We love short story collections. We hope this doesn’t put us in the minority, because when authors do it well the books can be transcendent. Case in point, Curtis Sittenfeld’s latest is Show Don’t Tell. We didn’t find one story in there we didn’t like. Each feels like a breath of fresh aired emotional honesty, a glimpse into the lives of memorable …

1
The Great Gatsby is Still Great 46:10

2M ago46:10

46:10

There is no greater classic in Kate’s mind than The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. So when our audiences liked our holiday revisit of the Christmas Carol, we knew Gatsby had to be next. Join us as we sit down with two of the country’s greatest Gatsby and Fitzgerald scholars. Find out why the book is still so studied, so beloved, and still so …

1
Geraldine Brooks Honors Her Husband 36:44

2M ago36:44

36:44

Geraldine Brooks' latest, Memorial Days, is a deeply personal memoir about the sudden loss of her husband Tony Horowitz. In this beautiful and deeply felt book, Geraldine remembers her husband and honors his legacy and their love. She walks us through the days after his death while simultaneously also taking us through her mourning process. Find ou…

1
Jeffrey Toobin Examines The Presidential Pardon 37:58

2M ago37:58

37:58

Politics are heavily loaded in today’s America; we seem to be so angry at one another. Jeffrey Toobin’s newest, The Pardon: The Politics of Presidential Mercy, is a fascinating and oblique way of examining politics, studying the history and use of the Presidential pardon. Both Democrats and Republicans have made huge partisan mistakes with pardons,…

1
Jeff Hobbs is a Non-Fiction Storyteller 39:45

3M ago39:45

39:45

Jeff Hobbs is a best-selling author, but the way he listens to his subjects and retells their stories brings a deeply human perspective to really difficult topics. His newest, Seeking Shelter, is the story of homelessness told through the eyes of Evelyn, a devoted and fierce mother of six, determined to keep her kids out of the welfare system. Jeff…

1
Jessica Soffer Tells Us a Love Story 35:42

3M ago35:42

35:42

This is a Love Story by Jessica Soffer sees love’s complexities, beauties; its selfishness, difficulties, and maddening passions. Jessica Soffer tells us the story of a 50 year marriage between Abe and Jane as Jane lies dying in a hospital bed. The backdrop of their romance is Central Park, and despite the constant presence of love in the story, it…

1
Adam Haslett Examines Mothers & Sons 34:26

3M ago34:26

34:26

Adam Haslett’s new novel, Mothers & Sons is a brilliant book examining the relationships between mothers and sons from all sorts of angles. The story of Peter and his mother Ann, who have so much in common and yet are estranged. Compelling, original and moving, this a novel that stays with you. Books mentioned in this week's episode: Mothers & Sons…

1
Samantha Harvey Goes Orbital 39:43

3M ago39:43

39:43

The Booker Prize is awarded each year to the best work of sustained fiction in the English language. In other words, it doesn’t get any more prestigious than the Booker. And we are honored this week to have Samantha Harvey who wrote the 2024 Booker winner entitled “Orbital”. When you read her beautiful prose, you’ll know why she won. And when you l…

1
Scott Turow Revisits Old Friend Rusty Sabitch 32:26

4M ago32:26

32:26

If like your drama in a courtroom, Scott Turow is the writer for you. His newest, Presumed Guilty, is the conclusion to the story of Rusty Sabitch, his best known protagonist. It’s a wonderfully written page turner that we bet you won’t be able to put down. If your heart pounds to the sound of a gavel and a bailiff saying ALL RISE, tune in and list…

1
Karissa Chen Brings Us A Chinese Love Story 32:33

4M ago32:33

32:33

Our first book show of the year is a first-time novelist, Karissa Chen. Her new book Homecoming is a novel a portrait in longing, an epoch love story between two characters torn apart by political unrest at the time of the Communist Revolution in China. It’s ambitious, it’s beautiful and it’s one of the best historical portrayals of China’s complex…

1
We Explore How to Write a Book 27:24

4M ago27:24

27:24

This week we take a look back at last year’s Book Case episodes focussing on the methodology of writing. We love talking to authors about their technique, their inspirations, and we love exploring how they do what they do. So this week we sew together some of our favorite ideas and methods coming from our authors, on how to write a book. We hope th…

1
A Christmas Carol Still Haunts Readers 36:06

4M ago36:06

36:06

We decided to break format this week, and we might do it again at that (it was wonderful). To ring in the holiday week, we had to spend a little time talking about A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. And we must admit we had never read it until now. We sit down with Dean Natalie McKnight at Boston University, and Professor Joel Brattin at Worcest…

1
Susan Rieger and Surviving Your Mother 41:36

5M ago41:36

41:36

We know we want to talk to an author if we argue long and lustily about a book’s themes. And Like Mother, Like Mother, the newest by Susan Rieger, has so many themes: how we cannot escape our mothers, the concept of whether women can “have it all”, the debate on nature vs. nurture…and so much more. These are characters that will stay with you long …

1
Delia Ephron Takes Broadway 42:38

5M ago42:38

42:38

Delia Ephron is a courageous woman. Not only did she lose her husband Jerry, she then faced death in the form of leukemia and a very risky bone marrow transplant all while falling in love with her husband Peter. As if all of this weren’t enough, she wrote an amazing memoir about it, Left on Tenth, and THEN she turned it into a major play on Broadwa…

1
Louise Penny Reflects on Her Process 29:29

5M ago29:29

29:29

In this, the second part of our interview with Louise Penny we talk to her about the art of writing, how she stays fresh and what her year looks like as she writes and completes a Gamache mystery. We widen our lens on the art of writing with Louise Penny. Stay with us, you won't want to miss it. Books mentioned in this week's episode: The Grey Wolf…

1
Louise Penny Stalks The Grey Wolf 29:24

5M ago29:24

29:24

We read fan comments, and several of you wrote us about Louise Penny. Charlie has always been a fan (he would want me to say that) but Kate was shamefully new to her work. But she is now a HUGE fan and has read them all and could not put down The Grey Wolf, Penny’s newest and her 19th Inspector Gamache in the series. Join us for part 1 of a 2 part …

1
Niall Williams is Magic 42:38

6M ago42:38

42:38

When Niall Williams releases a book, we positively cheer. His writing feels like coming home to us. A home full of warm fires, good stories, kind neighbors, strong community and unspoken love. All of them and more illuminate his latest: The Time of the Child. We could not recommend this book more. Buy it. And then buy it for everyone on your holida…

1
Ann Patchett Reads AND Writes 28:18

6M ago28:18

28:18

We don’t do it often, but we are giving two episodes to one conversation: the Great Ann Patchett talking about the Annotated Bel Canto. After we wrap our conversation with her we talk to her bookstore, Parnassus and its manager, Cat Bock. Tune in and find out why we love Ann Patchett so much. Books mentioned in this week's episode: Bel Canto: The A…

1
Ann Patchett Revisits Bel Canto 43:02

6M ago43:02

43:02

Ann Patchett burst on the scene with Bel Canto twenty three years ago. Bel Canto was not her first novel, but many still consider it to be her best (although she disagrees). This week she releases an Annotated Edition of Bel Canto and in it she rereads and notes her triumphs and mistakes on every page. Seriously. A great novel, a great writer makin…

1
Danzy Senna Creates Worlds She Wants to See 40:35

6M ago40:35

40:35

Danzy Senna has written a seriously funny and thought provoking book in Colored Television. It will make you laugh, but also make space for anger, pain and frustration as she skewers race, Hollywood, authentic voice, the publishing industry, the Kardashians, navel gazing, philosophy….you name it, there is satire in this book for everyone. Great wri…

1
Dwayne Betts Is Proof That A Book Can Change Your Life 31:37

6M ago31:37

31:37

Reginald Dwayne Betts is on a mission is to put a curated library in the cell block of every prison in America. A survivor of the system himself, he has obtained a college degree, a law degree from Yale, and a MacArthur Genius grant. Looking to bring hope to America’s most hopeless places, Bates has founded Freedom Reads, an organization that bring…

1
Paula Hawkins is a Mystery Master 44:56

7M ago44:56

44:56

Paula Hawkins is a master of the mystery, and her new one, The Blue Hour, has one of the best opens and closes to a mystery we have ever read. An author who knows mood and atmosphere, this book will keep you turning the pages long after you told yourself to go to bed. Our bookstore this week is a revisit with one of our favorites, Beacon Hill Books…

1
Richard Osman Begins a New Series 40:12

7M ago40:12

40:12

Richard Osman has one of the most successful literary mystery series of all time: The Thursday Murder Club (just finished filming as a major motion picture too). So why start a new series and why do we love it so much? First, we will read anything this man writes, including his address book, but second, because it’s good, AND funny. We ask Richard …

1
Wright Thompson Investigates His Home State 36:51

7M ago36:51

36:51

This week's book case: Emmitt Till’s murder has been a seminal moment in American history ever since it occurred in 1955. Wright Thompson’s new book “The Barn: The Secret History of a Murder in Mississippi” looks at the horror through a whole new prism. Thompson loves his native land of Mississippi but is haunted by the barn where Emmitt Till was m…

1
Katherine Rundell Believes in Children’s Lit 32:28

8M ago32:28

32:28

The United Kingdom has given us some amazing children’s authors: C.S. Lewis, Lewis Carroll, Roald Dahl, Beatrix Potter...and may we add Katherine Rundell. Her newest, Impossible Creatures, is a sensation in Britain, and was declared an instant classic even before its U.S. release. It delivers all the magic promised in the fantastical title. Tune in…

1
Elizabeth Strout Unites Beloved Characters 37:01

8M ago37:01

37:01

If you aren’t an Elizabeth Strout fan yet, Tell me Everything, her newest novel, is going to wow you. If you are already devoted fans, like we are, then you are in for a real treat. In Tell Me Everything, she brings together two beloved characters: Lucy Barton and Olive Kitteridge. The results are truly magical. Our bookstore this week is Snowbound…

1
Spoken Word Poets Write Their Catharsis 47:45

8M ago47:45

47:45

This is a special episode dedicated the art of spoken word poetry. One of our listeners wrote to us mentioning the name of Rudy Francisco and from there we fell down the rabbit hole of spoken word and slam poetry. We talk to Rudy and two other greats of the art, Bianca Phipps and Neil Hilborn. They are going to perform one work each and we will rou…

1
Dr. Fei-Fei Li Explains AI 35:21

8M ago35:21

35:21

Dr. Fei-Fei Li is one of the most important scientists of our time. Her book, The Worlds I See, chronicles her pioneering efforts in Artificial Intelligence. Does AI scare you? Us too. But read this book and listen to this episode. The book is not just the compelling story of Dr. Li herself, who immigrated as a girl speaking no English but who unde…

1
Jodi Picoult Envisions A Woman Behind Shakespeare's Work 36:40

9M ago36:40

36:40

Have you ever heard the rumor that Shakespeare didn’t write his own plays? So had we, but By Any Other Name, the new novel by Jodi Picoult, may make the best case for it we have ever read. This novel puts forth a theory that Emilia Bassano wrote at least some of them, and she is an unforgettable character. This book succeeds on so many levels — a p…

1
Emily Nussbaum Explains Why We Should Take Reality TV Seriously 39:37

9M ago39:37

39:37

Love it or hate it, the genre of “reality tv” has now shaped American history. That means no matter how you feel about it, you cannot ignore it. Enter Cue the Sun!, the most comprehensive, thoughtful and well written book about the history and development of the genre we have come across. We talk to the book’s author, Emily Nussbaum about how the g…

1
Evan Friss Traces the History of American Bookstores 35:21

9M ago35:21

35:21

Today we talk about a book that seems tailor-made to our show, given our conversations with independent booksellers. The Bookshop: A History of the American Bookstore is a book that, if you are a book lovers like we are, will give you the same warm, smiling feeling you get when you walk into your favorite bookstore. And we talk to Toby Cox, the own…

1
Whoopi Goldberg Hails Her First Loves 34:25

9M ago34:25

34:25

When you say the name Whoopi Goldberg it’s hard not to smile. The name is filled with heart, laughter, and a joyous sense of fun, just like the woman herself. Born Caryn Johnson, her memoir Bits and Pieces is a love letter to her mother and brother, the two people who molded her into the hilarious, honest and morally centered person she is today. S…

1
Ben Shattuck's Short Stories Span Time and History 30:11

9M ago30:11

30:11

Ben Shattuck is a renaissance man of sorts, which might be why we dedicated the whole episode to him. He wrote The History of Sound, a thought provoking and beautiful collection of short stories that spans the Eastern Seaboard as well as eons of time. Then there's his general store, which, on top of being the oldest general store in the country als…

1
Hope Jahren Expands on Mark Twain 39:22

10M ago39:22

39:22

Every so often, a new author tackles the work of expanding a classic novel to expand its reach. Even more rarely, they succeed beautifully. This week’s book, Adventures of Mary Jane is just such a rare gem. Mary Jane's author, Hope Jahren, is a scientist (a geochemist, no less) who decided to write the story of Mary Jane, a character that haunted h…

1
J. Ryan Stradal Tackles His Next Novel 34:42

10M ago34:42

34:42

Our third check in with J. Ryan Stradal, author extraordinaire and our writer in residence. He has begun to write in earnest, and has lots to tell us about his progress. We are loving these conversations with J., and every time we learn something new. For our bookstore we talk to Next Chapter Booksellers in St. Paul, J. Ryan's homeland. Join us. Bo…

1
Rachel Khong Asks, 'Who Is A Real American?' 35:07

10M ago35:07

35:07

The Magician’s Hat by Malcolm MitchellThis week we talk to Rachel Khong. Her new novel, Real Americans, asks probing questions about the reality of America’s “melting pot” mythology, and is also being a mysterious and compulsively readable family saga. We also talk to Judy Newman, Chief Impact Officer at Scholastic, in our continuing discussions on…

1
Joseph Kanon Conjures WWII Shanghai 36:25

10M ago36:25

36:25

Do you like a good spy novel? Do you love le Carré and Graham Greene? Then we hope, with great sincerity, that you are reading the work of Joseph Kanon. His latest, Shanghai, centers around the city’s lesser known freewheeling WWII history and some of the lawless people who escaped the war to be there. Tune in to find out why he is fascinated by sp…

1
Catherine Newman Brings Us to Cape Cod 37:28

11M ago37:28

37:28

Sandwich: A Novel by Catherine Newman is full of great characters, evocative nostalgic imagery and a love for Cape Cod that we share with her. It is full of thoughts on what it means to be a woman, why we keep secrets from our family, and what it is we love about the yearly vacation traditions we cherish if we were lucky enough to have them in our …

1
Sarah Langan Crafts a Dystopian Mystery Thriller 34:56

11M ago34:56

34:56

Want a great summer read? We have it. A Better Place by Sarah Langan is a page turning mystery/thriller….like if The Stepford Wives met Shirley Jackson in The Lottery. The story is original, the characters are well written, and the mysteries presented will baffle you as they unfold. It’s a terrific ride. We also talk also talk to John Mendelson, pr…

1
Scott Preston Writes a UK Western 38:15

11M ago38:15

38:15

This week, a dark and funny tale of sheep farming in Rural England that reads like an American Western by Cormac McCarthy. Sound a little strange? Well, it is. But it is also compelling, suspenseful, complex and packed with great characters. Scott Preston is a debut novelist, and this book, The Borrowed Hills, may defy a two sentence description bu…

1
Two Editors Who Changed Publishing 38:07

11M ago38:07

38:07

Today we have a book that helped us to lift the curtain on the inner workings of the book business. The Editor by Sara B. Franklin tells us the story of Judith Jones, the game changing editor who changed the publishing business at a time where women weren't in the publishing business. Judith helped shape literature and change publishing, and so we …

1
Book Store Owners Present Their Top Summer Reads 43:34

12M ago43:34

43:34

We love the summer because it means trips the bookstore! We have some of our favorite bookstores recommending their favorite summer titles. If you are in need of a laugh, a thrill or just a great story to read on the beach, this is an episode of The Book Case you don't want to miss. Books mentioned in this week's episode: A Short Walk Through the W…

1
George Stephanopoulos Takes Us To The Situation Room 46:46

12M ago46:46

46:46

This episode is a double whammy of extreme talent. First, we have George Stephanopoulos, giving us history through the perspective of one of the most mysterious and powerful rooms in the White House: The Situation Room. It's the title of his new book...and it's an illuminating read. Second, the great J. Ryan Stradal and our second installment of th…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

ABC News | Charlie Gibson Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide