Associate producer

Book of the Day is NPR's daily podcast that keeps up with the books everyone's talking about. Naina produced each episode, copywrote show description for web and digital platforms, cut and edited audio, and mixed the podcast.

List of episodes

Two authors write about the importance of mental health and accessing feelings : NPR's Book of the DayThe two books featured in this episode focus on accessing feelings and mental health. First is a book of essays by spoken word artist, Bassey Ikpi. Ikpi tells Scott Simon that her book I'm Telling the Truth but I'm Lying chronicles the hard work it took to make a real life for herself after facing abuse at home. Then we hear from neurologist and physician Anna DeForest on her novel that questions a lot about existence and the inequities of the medical system. A History of Present Illness is DeForest's first novel, and she explains to Ayesha Roscoe why mental health is at the heart of her story.

Gaia Vince details how migration will help billions survive in new book : NPR's Book of the DayThe main argument Gaia Vince makes in her book Nomad Century is that in order for three to five billion people on Earth to survive, it will require a planned and deliberate migration of the kind humanity has never before undertaken. NPR's Scott Simon discusses this possibility with Vince as she explains how human kind has hampered the success of migration through "artificial bordering of nation states," and as she talks of the need to "rethink how we decide where someone is allowed to live" in order to have a chance of survival in a warming climate with extreme temperatures.

'Touch' is a love story with elements of mystery, time, and loneliness : NPR's Book of the DayOlaf Olafsson's new novel Touch is a combination of mystery, memories lost, and love. It puts the idea of "the one that got away" front and center and explores how loneliness can be felt in many different ways. In an interview with Mary Louise Kelly, Olafsson shares why the pandemic was the perfect time to write this story.

'Path Lit by Lightning' showcases Jim Thorpe's resilience until the end of his life : NPR's Book of the DayIn the book Path Lit by Lightning, author David Maraniss does more than just write Jim Thorpe's life story. He delves into what caused misconceptions and false narratives about the great athlete, examines how exploitation of Native Americans by the U.S. government helped shape Thorpe's resilience, and offers a different perspective on the last few years of Thorpe's life as something admirable. In conversation with NPR's Don Gonyea, Maraniss explains these details and why they matter.

'The Mamas' views parenting through the lenses of race, class, and gentrification : NPR's Book of the DayWhen it comes to raising children, says Helena Andrews-Dyer, there are complicated dynamics connected to race and class – which she writes about in her book The Mamas. In an interview with Rachel Martin, Dyer details the trials and tribulations of being a first-time parent, attending social events with other moms and all the pressure put on her internally and externally to make sure her child turns out alright. But it's her experience as a Black mom among a sea of white mothers that pushed her to reimagine her parenting "through a larger lens of race, and class, and gentrification."

In 'Electable,' Ali Vitali explores the glass ceiling for women in politics : NPR's Book of the DayIn Electable: Why America Hasn't Put a Woman in the White House... Yet, author Ali Vitali explores why the glass ceiling separating women from the highest office is still intact. Vitali and Juana Summers talk about why it wasn't possible to elect a woman in 2020 – and the importance of female representation in politics for America's future.

Emma Donoghue revisits isolation and faith (with many birds) in new book 'Haven' : NPR's Book of the DayAuthor Emma Donoghue "seem to enjoy the stimulus of going to an entirely new place." That's precisely what she does in her new book 'Haven'; it's about three Irish monks in the middle ages who choose to live a life of isolation on a rocky island. In an interview with Ari Shapiro, Donoghue explains why she has recurrent themes of isolation and faith in her stories.

'The Stolen Year' details how politics and pandemic magnified inequality in education : NPR's Book of the DayAuthor Anya Kamenetzwas covering education for NPR when the pandemic started spreading in the U.S. She says she saw how political affiliation, divisions and distrust prevented leaders from putting kids first. Kamenetz sits down with Steve Inskeep to discuss her new book, The Stolen Year, and how the pandemic "magnified the inequality" that already existed among school children.

Abdulrazak Gurnah's 'Afterlives' highlights nuances of colonization in East Africa : NPR's Book of the DayIn Abdulrazak Gurnah's Afterlives, the characters centered in the novel offer different perspectives of ordinary people under German colonization in East Africa. In an interview with NPR's Scott Simon, the author goes into detail about how the "power and attraction of the victor" can lead to the conquered joining the conqueror and the impact it has on one's identity

Paula Hawkins and Amanda Jayatissa highlight class inequality via mystery : NPR's Book of the DayThe two books in this episode are thrillers that center class as the theme of the narrative. First up is A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins that the author says, in an interview with Mary Louise Kelly, is a crime-murder-mystery in a setting where "the powerful and the powerless" are right next to each other. Next is You're Invited, authored by Amanda Jayatissa, about a wedding invite gone wrong – but, as Jayatissa shared with Ayesha Roscoe, is actually a backdrop to highlight Sri Lanka's present inequalities.

Sidik Fofana addresses how complicated gentrification is in debut story collection : NPR's Book of the DaySidik Fofana's short story collection can be best described as "addressing the notion that gentrification is complicated." Those were Fofana's words to NPR's Daniel Estrin as they talked about his debut book, Stories from the Tenants Downstairs. Fofana, who's also a public school teacher, uses the emotions he's felt growing up and situations of other people he's known, to ask: "How would I feel if this happened to me?" He writes them down in his collection as distinct voices and characters struggling to get by in a fictional high rise building in Harlem.

Ellen Jovin travels across the U.S. in search of grammar questions and answers : NPR's Book of the DayThe author of Rebel With a Clause traveled to more than 40 states to document how grammar is used in relationships, work conversations and everyday life. In this episode, Ellen Jovin shares her discoveries and what she's learned along the way with Scott Simon.

'The Scent of Burnt Flowers' uses fiction to explore a real, historical event : NPR's Book of the DayBlitz Bazawule directed the first Ghanaian original film to be released on Netflix, co-directed Beyonce's visual album 'Black is King', directed the upcoming film musical version of 'The Color Purple' and, now, has published his first novel – The Scent of Burnt Flowers. In this interview, he talks with Michel Martin about how and why he wrote this novel, which meshes real historical events with the supernatural.

Author weaves family history with fiction in debut novel : NPR's Book of the DayIn Belinda Huijuan Tang's debut novel, A Map For the Missing, readers can find parallels between Tang's personal history and her fiction. The book touches on family mystery, personal identity and connections between the end of China's Cultural Revolution in the 1970s up through the1990s. While talking with NPR's Ari Shapiro, Tang shares why she chose this moment in Chinese history for her novel.

Mohsin Hamid and Alora Young detail the impact of colorism in their stories : NPR's Book of the DayThe two books featured in this episode illustrate the impact of colorism in society. First up is The Last White Man by Mohsin Hamid. In conversation with Scott Simon, Hamid talks about his personal experience after 9/11 and how that helped shape the narrative of this novel. Next is Walking Gentry Home by Alora Young, which chronicles her family's history through nine generations of mothers in her life. Young shares with Leila Fadel about how her stories touch on her skin complexion "as a product of uninvited attention" from people who enslaved her family.

Romance novelist pokes fun at genre while writing it, in 'Thank You for Listening' : NPR's Book of the DayAuthor and audiobook narrator Julia Whelan says narrating her own second book, Thank You for Listening, was "so meta, that it just spins off its axis." It's about a former on-camera actress who suffered a tragic event that ended her on-camera career. She's found work in narrating audiobooks and while she loves it, it isn't the same as being in front of the camera. Whelan chats with Mary Louise Kelly about how this latest novel pokes fun at romance while honoring it, and the different voices she has had to use to represent the "voice" of the book.

In new memoir, Sen. Tim Scott details the second chances he's gotten : NPR's Book of the DayIn an interview with NPR's Juana Summers, Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina talks about the second chances he's been given by his mother and his constituents, which he also details in his new memoir America: A Redemption Story. Scott reflects on his struggles with self image growing up, the doubts he had as a young Black man in high school, and what he wished President Trump would have done during the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

A daughter helps her mom finish her book 'Properties of Thirst' : NPR's Book of the DayMarianne Wiggins had started to write her latest book Properties of Thirst when she had a stroke in 2016. So her daughter Lara Porzak, helped her finish it. Porzak described the experience as "hard, very difficult, but beautiful." Talking to Scott Simon, both authors share how their time in the hospital and the uncertainty of the future helped complete a story about new beginnings.

Criminal justice reform and resilience are central in Albert Woodfox's 'Solitary' : NPR's Book of the DayIn an interview with the author of Solitary, the issue of criminal justice reform is central. Alfred Woodfox, who served 43 years in prison – most in solitary confinement, for a crime he says he didn't commit – died in August. He told NPR's Scott Simon that after his release, he struggled with claustrophobia because of the decades he spent in prison. This is an encore episode from February 2022.

Chinese American culture, murder mystery, and Dostoyevsky in 'The Family Chao' : NPR's Book of the DayPatriarch Leo Chao is murdered at his restaurant at the beginning of Lan Samantha Chang's new novel The Family Chao. Eventually family secrets and bitterness reveal themselves — much like a Dostoyevsky novel, from whom Chao took a lot of inspiration. But NPR's Scott Simon points out that even though this novel is about a murder, it's quite funny. Chang told Simon that she just enjoyed writing it so much that humor became a natural part of it. This is an encore episode from February 2022.

Devon Price on self-acceptance and expression for people with autism : NPR's Book of the DayFor people with autism, navigating a neurotypical world can be exhausting. Many deploy strategies to fit in with others, a tactic often referred to as masking. Social psychologist Devon Price spoke to Eric Garcia, author of Unmasking Autism, on Life Kit about the freedom that comes from unmasking. Price says neurodivergent people can find greater self-acceptance by getting in touch with the person they were before they started trying to fit in. Price and Garcia, who both have autism, talk about how unmasking means progress for disability justice. This is an encore episode from May 2022.

Baseball at the center of personal narratives in two new memoirs : NPR's Book of the DayThis episode features baseball diaries with Scott Simon. First up, CC Sabathia details his personal struggles with alcoholism and fame in his memoir Til The End. And then, a conversation with Ron Shelton about the story and legacy of the classic film Bull Durham in his new memoir, The Church of Baseball.

Life's hardships lead to the trek of a lifetime in 'Soundings' : NPR's Book of the DayDoreen Cunningham felt worn down by financial limitations as a single parent trying to, as she says, make life work. She tells Scott Simon that society's unfair treatment toward single-parent households led her to escape to follow the gray whale migration with her 2-year-old son, which she documents in her memoir Soundings.

Sci-fi elements help a family's story before and after warfare : NPR's Book of the DayDisplacement, identity and the aftermath of warfare are themes running through today's episode on 'The Haunting of Hajji Hotak.' Author Jamil Jan Kochai talks with Ari Shapiro about why he used elements of science fiction like video games and magical realism to tell a largely autobiographical story of his family's life in Afghanistan before and after the Soviet invasion.

'X' portrays dystopian reality among the marginalized where they are exported : NPR's Book of the DayThe setting for today's book could be an "alternate version of right now," according to author Davey Davis. They spoke with Anna Sale in an interview for It's Been a Minute about how their book 'X' looks into a dystopian reality where sex workers, immigrants and trans people are exported out of the U.S. And the book tells the story of what life is like for those in hiding.

'Why Didn't You Tell Me?' explores a false origin story for the price of assimilation : NPR's Book of the DayToday's book evaluates the price of assimilation when representation, identity and belonging are erased. In Why Didn't You Tell Me?, author Carmen Rita Wong recounts how she discovered her origin story was all but true. She talks with Ailsa Chang about navigating her life after that discovery – and the impact of colonialism.

Two books show life as seen through the eyes of the animal kingdom : NPR's Book of the DayToday's episode features two books that reach deep into the animal world. First, E.O. Wilson sits down with Robert Seigel to discuss how the narrative of war is used in his story featuring ants, called Anthill. Then writer Ed Yong talks with Ayesha Roscoe about trying to show the experience of life through a different perspective – animals – in An Immense World.

The history of control over women and their bodies is central in 'The Foundling' : NPR's Book of the DayToday's fictional book is set in very non-fictional circumstances. Novelist Ann Leary was trying to learn about her grandmother's history as an orphan and found that she worked at a eugenics asylum in Pennsylvania in the early 1900s. This became the basis of her story in the book 'The Foundling' which explores the state of women's rights, the relationship between it and eugenics, and a commentary over the long history of control over women's bodies.

Blurred family history gets questioned in Joseph Han's debut novel, 'Nuclear Family' : NPR's Book of the DayToday's Book of the Day spans across two places: Hawaii and the Korean Peninsula. The story, though, goes beyond the two realities. In Joseph Han's debut novel Nuclear Family, a Korean family goes through hurdles when one of them is haunted by a long lost family member, crosses a dangerous border, and questions the blurred history of their past. Han shares with B.A. Parker how his own background and upbringing helped tell the story of this book.

'The Pallbearers Club' shows how dangerous nostalgia can be : NPR's Book of the DayToday's Book of the Day is a little bit of everything: punk rock music, high school dynamics, some horror tropes, and pointing out the dangers of nostalgia. Author Paul Tremblay discusses with Shannon Bond why that is, and explains the influence his own high school experience and Stephen King brought to his book The Pallbearers Club.

Mark Leibovich details the price of blind loyalty under Donald Trump in new book : NPR's Book of the DayAs the House's committee hearings on Jan. 6 continue, today's episode offers some context from The Atlantic reporter Mark Leibovich, who has a new book out this month titled Thank You For Your Servitude: Donald Trump's Washington and the Price of Submission. He sits down with Juana Summers to talk about the price of blind loyalty under the Trump administration, and how that affected the insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

'Covered in Night' compares colonial and Indigenous approaches to justice : NPR's Book of the DayIn this episode, we're going back in time to 1722 to examine the different approaches to justice between Native Americans and Pennsylvania colonists in the Pulitzer Prize-winning book Covered with Night: A Story of Murder and Indigenous Justice in Early America by historian Nicole Eustace. In an interview with Here & Now's Scott Tong, Eustace discusses how reparative justice has deep roots in American history.

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