Podcast Summary: "A Book Gift Guide for Every Reader"

Podcast: All Of It (WNYC)
Host: Tiffany Hansen (in for Alison Stewart)
Guest: Jordan Loff (Get Lit Producer & Book Expert)
Date: December 18, 2025

Overview

This engaging, energetic episode of All Of It focuses on practical, nuanced advice for book gifting during the holidays. Host Tiffany Hansen and producer/book expert Jordan Loff serve up recommendations for every type of reader—from the "history-loving dad" to the romance aficionado to the literati—and offer strategies for choosing the perfect book even when you don’t know someone’s taste. The conversation is enriched with listener call-ins and text suggestions, creating a vibrant community book gift guide.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. General Book Gift-Giving Tips

[00:52–03:45]

• Know Your Audience, But Don’t Get Too Genre-Specific:
  • Jordan advises avoiding specific genres unless you’re certain of the recipient’s preferences, as tastes vary widely.
  • “Nothing is ever safe when it comes to buying a book.” – Jordan Loff [01:25]
• Popular, Critically Acclaimed, and Versatile Picks:
  • Best-seller lists and award-shortlists are safe bets if you’re unsure.
  • Historical fiction and family dramas often appeal to a broad array of readers.
• Personal Reading of the Gift Not Required:
  • Jordan confesses she sometimes gives books she hasn’t read but knows will suit the recipient’s interests:
    • “I don’t always read the books I give away. It’s probably a good rule of thumb, though.” – Jordan Loff [03:02]

2. Buying for the Avid Genre Reader

[05:09–06:02]

• For readers with laser-focused tastes (e.g., “only romance novels set in the 1800s”), surprise them by exploring adjacent genres or themes:
  • Find books that share the emotional or historical elements they love but push beyond their usual fare.
  • “Find a little kernel of what they like ... maybe that pushes them out of their comfort zone.” – Jordan Loff [05:09]

3. Recommendations for Literary Fiction Lovers

[06:16–07:21]

• Top Pick:

  • The Loneliness of Sonya and Sunny by Kiran Desai
    • Critically acclaimed and appeared on numerous “Best of the Year” lists
    • Follows two Indian immigrants in the US, featuring themes of love, family, and a quirky subplot about a coveted kebab recipe
    • “It was the number one pick from this year ... there’s so much more beyond that.” – Jordan Loff [06:16]

• Listener Suggestions:

  • The Scanty Plot of Ground, edited by Paul Muldoon (book of sonnets)
  • Counting Backwards by Jacqueline Friedland—addresses eugenics and family drama

4. Supporting Independent Bookstores

[07:46–08:42]

• Jordan and callers highlight the importance of buying from local indie bookstores or using platforms like Bookshop.org to support them, even when shopping online.

5. Nonfiction & History Recommendations

[08:47–14:29]

• Callers and Jordan suggest history and nonfiction gems:
  • The Island at the Center of the World by Russell Shorto (listener text)
  • The Mascot by Mark Kurzem (WWII family memoir) [08:47]
  • Dear New York by Brandon Stanton (photo/human interest) [12:52]
  • Isaac’s Storm (Galveston floods, US Weather Service origins) [12:52]
  • The British Are Coming & The Fate of the Day by Rick Atkinson (Revolutionary War trilogy—highly recommended for fans of Ken Burns and American history) [11:51]
  • “Sometimes the most niche stuff ends up being the most interesting.” – Jordan Loff [14:21]

6. Highlighting Up-and-Coming Authors

[10:09–10:58]

• Jordan recommends:
  • The Lonely Crowds by Stephanie Wambugu (debut novel of two Black women at an elite boarding school navigating art, identity, and competition in NYC)
    • “It really establishes her as a prominent and promising literary voice in the future.” – Jordan Loff [10:09]
• Other listener picks:
  • Romantasy series by CJ Primer [10:58]
  • Midnight on the Potomac by Scott Ellsworth
  • The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (classic humorous sci-fi—“It’s a four book trilogy!”)

7. More Listener Favorites

[14:37–15:24]

• Flesh by a Hungarian Booker Prize winner (caller's anecdote about sharing a book with “sexual exploits” as a family gift)
• The One Hundred Years of Lenny and Margot by Marianne Cronin

8. Thrillers

[17:26–19:43]

• Jordan’s Pick:
  • Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy
    • Literary-leaning thriller about a family guarding a seed bank on a remote island; mixes nature writing with page-turning suspense.
• For Hard-Core Thriller Fans:
  • King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby—“not for the faint of heart” due to graphic content; Southern Gothic/Godfather vibes.
    • “Some of the scenes are incredibly gory.” – Jordan Loff [19:02]

9. Fantasy Novels

[19:58–21:08]

• Jordan’s Recommendations:
  • Katabasis by R.F. Kuang (graduate students journey to hell; “dark academia”/Harry Potter for adults vibe)
    • “She’s really like the perfect writer for someone who is interested in that.” – Jordan Loff [20:51]
• Producer Kate Hines’s Favorite:
  • The Raven Scholar by Antonia Hodgson

10. Gift Certificates—Yay or Nay?

[21:08–22:49]

• Jordan’s perspective:
  • While giving a gift certificate may seem less personal, receiving one to a favorite bookstore is often a delight.
  • “Giving a gift certificate feels worse than it feels to receive a gift certificate ... I’m thrilled—wow, I have $50 to spend on whatever book I feel like.” – Jordan Loff [21:42]
• Recommendations for bookstore gift cards that double as outings (with attached cafés or wine bars).

Notable Quotes

• “Nothing is ever safe when it comes to buying a book.” – Jordan Loff [01:25]
• “Sometimes the most niche stuff ends up being the most interesting.” – Jordan Loff [14:21]
• “Giving a gift certificate feels worse than it feels to receive a gift certificate.” – Jordan Loff [21:42]
• “You can get yourself a glass of wine while you read ... so that could sort of be a double whammy.” – Jordan Loff [22:40]

Listener-Recommended Picks (with Attribution & Reasoning)

• The Island at the Center of the World by Russell Shorto (“best history book I’ve ever read”) [03:45]
• The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (“best book I read last year”) – Julietta [04:11]
• The Mascot by Mark Kurzem (“fascinating nonfiction, WWII and identity”) – Jay [08:47]
• Dear New York by Brandon Stanton (“great for the New Yorker in your life”) – Liz [12:52]
• Isaac’s Storm (“riveting blend of US weather service history and family drama”) – Liz [12:52]
• Flesh by a Hungarian Booker winner (“a lot of sexual exploits; bought for family—bit unsure!”) – Robert [14:37]
• The Ultimate Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams (“It’s a four book trilogy in one... appears to be science fiction—it’s not”) [10:58]
• The One Hundred Years of Lenny and Margot by Marianne Cronin [15:24]

Concluding Thoughts

Jordan and Tiffany balance warmth, humor, and deep book knowledge to offer a truly useful book gift guide, packed with both practical advice and surprising gems. The episode emphasizes the importance of knowing your recipient’s tastes (but not stressing when you don’t), supporting independent bookstores, and not shying away from gift certificates as an act of love.

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Top Book-Gifting Do’s and Don’ts: 00:52–03:45
• For Picky Genre Readers: 05:09
• Literary Fiction Recommendations: 06:16
• Indie Bookstores & Bookshop.org: 07:46
• History & Non-fiction Highlights: 08:47, 11:51, 12:52
• Debut & Up-and-Coming Authors: 10:09
• Thrillers: 17:26–19:43
• Fantasy: 19:58–21:08
• Gift Card Debate: 21:08–22:49

This summary was designed to capture both the content and lively, conversational spirit of the episode—making it easy for any reader to find their next great gift or personal read.