New And Upcoming Summer Reads

Summary

Podcast Summary: All Of It with Alison Stewart

Episode: New And Upcoming Summer Reads

Date: July 29, 2024
Host: Alison Stewart (B)
Guest/Producer: Jordan Loff (C)
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Overview of the Episode

This episode of All Of It dives into new and upcoming summer reads as part of the show's Summer Reading Challenge. Host Alison Stewart and producer Jordan Loff discuss standout books across various challenge categories, share recommendations, listener favorites, and highlight stories both recently released and highly anticipated. The segment fosters a sense of community, encourages diverse reading, and offers reflections on book culture in New York and beyond.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

The All Of It Summer Reading Challenge (00:57)

• Overview: The show’s ongoing challenge encourages listeners to read four books, each from one of seven suggested categories, throughout July and August.
  • Categories include:
    • A classic you’ve been meaning to get to
    • A book by a debut novelist
    • A book recommended by a friend
    • A book about or set in New York
    • A translated book
    • A book becoming a TV series or movie
    • A book featured on All Of It
• “We are four weeks into the Summer Reading Challenge. Over 750 of you have signed up to read along with us in July and August.” —Alison Stewart (00:57)
• The team personally stuffed over 600 envelopes with prizes for participating readers. (02:16)

Affordable Books & Library Sales (02:37)

• Jordan Loff promotes local library book sales, especially the Pequot Library’s $5 bag day, underscoring community and accessibility.
  • “If you are looking to pick up a cheap book to round out your summer reading, I am going to do a quick plug for the Pequot Library book sale... you can show up with a bag, put anything you can fit in it, and the whole thing is $5. It’s amazing.” —Jordan Loff (02:42)

Spotlight on Recommended Reads

Translated Literature (03:11)

• Pink Slime by Fernanda Trías, translated from Spanish (03:24)
  • Speculative, climate dystopia fiction about a city beset by toxic air.
  • Focuses on a woman's determination to stay and “fix it,” reminiscent of New Yorkers’ resolve during COVID.
  • “She finds that the longer that she stays, the more she wants to stay...sort of like New Yorkers who are like, you know what? I’m not leaving the city during COVID. I’m staying here. This is my home.” —Jordan Loff (03:24)

New York-Based Stories (04:03)

• Peggy by Rebecca Godfrey & Leslie Jamison (04:09)
  • A novel about art collector Peggy Guggenheim.
  • Notably, Godfrey began the novel before her death, asking Jamison to complete it.
  • “I think it’s a really interesting and moving project to finish your friend’s work.” —Jordan Loff (04:10)

Notable Listener & Host Picks (04:55, 09:14)

• Listeners share current reads that align well with the challenge categories, including Knights of the Plague and Martyr by Kaveh Akbar (a debut novel).
• Capote’s Women discussed as a versatile recommendation (07:55):
  • “I read the whole thing. I thought it was fascinating...you can count that as a book that you heard about on all of it. Or...as a classic you’ve been meaning to get to.” —Jordan Loff (07:55)
  • Explores Truman Capote’s creative and personal entanglements.

Anticipated Upcoming Releases

• The Hypocrite by Joe Hamya (05:07)

  • An aging novelist attends his daughter's play and discovers it’s inspired by their own summer together—unflinchingly personal and possibly cringeworthy.
  • “He realizes, ‘Oh my god, this play’s about me...It literally is in this case.’” —Jordan Loff (05:07)

• Night Watching by debut author (06:04)

  • Psychological thriller about a mother defending her children from a home invader—exploring themes of feminism and believing women, along with intense suspense.
  • “So this one is about a home invasion. So if home invasion is really scary to you, maybe not. But it’s a woman who wakes up in the middle of the night to discover that there’s a man in her house.” —Jordan Loff (06:08)

• House of Bone and Rain by Gabino Iglesias (06:36)

  • Follows five teens seeking revenge on a gang in Puerto Rico during a hurricane. A blend of coming-of-age, tension, and social commentary.
  • “[It] takes place in the backdrop of a large tropical storm... So I think it’s going to be both a moving story and a scary one and an intense one.” —Jordan Loff (06:36)

• The Rich People Have Gone Away by Regina Porter (08:38)

  • A Brooklyn resident disappears during COVID; the book follows the search and the context of those unable to leave the city during the pandemic.

Community Involvement and Call-ins (09:14)

• Listener Angela shares her reading selections:
  • Nostromo (Joseph Conrad), City of Girls (Elizabeth Gilbert), Demon Copperhead (Barbara Kingsolver), and Percival Everett Jayne.
• “Demon Copperhead is an absolute winner. If you haven’t read it, go get it right now.” —Jordan Loff (09:34)

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Alison Stewart, on the challenge:
  “We’re challenging our listeners to read four books between July 1st and the end of Labor Day weekend. At least one book in the four of the seven categories.” (00:57)

• Jordan Loff, on book sales:
  “It’s the best...Check your local listings.” (03:11)

• Jordan Loff, on 'Night Watching':
  “It was. It’s really so good.” (06:04)

• Listener Angela, succinctly sharing her picks:
  “Nostromo by Joseph Conrad. City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver and Percival Everett Jayne.” (09:20)

• Alison Stewart, closing shoutout:
  “Jordan Law, thanks so much for your help today.” (09:38)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:57 — Summer Reading Challenge explained and categories detailed
• 02:37 — Library book sale tips; $5 bag day discussed
• 03:11 — Translated literature: Pink Slime recommendation
• 04:09 — About/Set in New York: Peggy Guggenheim novel background
• 05:07 — Anticipation for The Hypocrite; discussion of theme
• 06:04 — Debut author: Night Watching summary and themes
• 06:36 — Upcoming spooky read: House of Bone and Rain
• 07:55 — Capote’s Women: how books can fill multiple challenge categories
• 08:38 — Another NYC-based recommendation: The Rich People Have Gone Away
• 09:14 — Listener Angela shares her picks for the challenge
• 09:34 — Jordan Loff’s book endorsement: Demon Copperhead

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Tone & Atmosphere

The episode maintains a friendly, communal, and encouraging tone—focused on inclusivity, accessibility, and the joy of reading. Stewart’s and Loff’s banter feels welcoming, and their references to the difficulties and resilience of New Yorkers (especially during COVID) ground the literary topics in authentic lived experience.

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Takeaways

• The All Of It Summer Reading Challenge is bringing together hundreds of readers who are encouraged to expand their reading horizons.
• The team offers both practical book-buying advice and thoughtful, contemporary recommendations spanning genres and backgrounds.
• Books recommended in the episode cover everything from speculative, dystopian fiction to emotional nonfiction and intense thrillers—demonstrating the depth of this year’s new summer releases and the creative community spirit of New York readers.

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For anyone who missed the episode, this summary delivers the core book recommendations, captures the lively and thoughtful spirit of the challenge, and highlights how literature can connect, comfort, and push its readers into new places—both real and imagined.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

We are four weeks into the Summer Reading Challenge. Over 750 of you have signed up to read along with us in July and August. Thanks to everyone who registered. Your prize is in the mail. You should receive it already if you have it. And if you didn't make the registration deadline, don't worry, you can still participate. For those who haven't heard, we are challenging our listeners to read four books between July 1st and the end of Labor Day weekend. At least one book in the four of the seven categories. One book, four. Four of seven. Here you go. A classic you've been meaning to get to, a book by a debut novelist, a book recommended by a friend, a book about or set in New York, a book translated from another language, a book being turned into a TV series or a movie or a book that you've heard about on all of It. Once you've completed the challenge, we'll send around a form for you to fill out with your selections and you'll be eligible to win a special prize. But you've got a month to still think about it. So you can count how many times you've heard about a book on all of it. Listeners, we would like to know what you're reading. What have you been reading for the all of it Summer Challenge? 2124-3396-9221-2433. WNYC Jordan Loff, she's the one. She books the books on all of it as well as get lit. Hey Jordan.

[C]

Hello.

[B]

All right. So you've been giving going through all first of all the mailing of the mailing of the prizes.

[C]

I was gonna say myself and team Olivet personally hand stuffed these envelopes. Over 600 of them, maybe even over 700. I'm sorry if you were internationally we couldn't send them to you. I sorry to our our participants in overseas but everyone else, I personally stuffed the envelope or team all of it personally stuffed the envelope. So it's coming to you very soon.

[B]

I saw it happening. All right. I heard you went to a book sale in our listening area over the weekend.

[C]

I do. If you. I did. If you are looking to pick up a cheap book to round out your summer reading, I am going to do a quick plug for the Pequot Library book sale. It's in Southport, Connecticut, in our listening area. It happens every summer. It's this weekend I. Or happened this weekend, but it's happening today still. And tomorrow is $5 bag day.

[B]

Oh, boy.

[C]

That's when you can show up with a bag, put anything you can fit in it, and the whole thing is $5. It's amazing.

[B]

All over. Like libraries all over the east coast and down the Cape are doing it. It's so much fun.

[C]

It's the best.

[B]

So check your local listings. All right. Let's talk about the translated literature character category. We didn't get to it last time. You're recommending Pink Slime by Fernanda Tries, translated from Spanish.

[C]

Yes, this one is should be out soon if it's not out already. It is speculative fiction. It's set in a world where an algal bloom has poisoned the air. It makes people sick. So it's a little bit of the climate dystopia fiction that people have been reading recently. Our protagonist is a woman who lives in a city. She's trying to care for her stubborn mother and a boy she babysits for and her ex husband who she's still in love with. They're all with her in this city. Okay. But people keep fleeing because of the air quote. But she finds that the longer that she stays, the more she wants to stay and sort of find a way to fix it, I think sort of like New Yorkers who are like, you know what? I'm not leaving the city during COVID I'm staying here. This is my home. We're gonna work with it.

[B]

Up next, you're cited about a book upcoming that's about or set in New York. I think you mentioned this in the pitch meeting.

[C]

I did.

[B]

About Peggy Guggenheim.

[C]

I did. We're working on it right now. Yes. This novel is called Peggy. It's about Peggy Guggenheim, who is obviously the art collector. She was a wealthy heiress. Guggenheim Museum. That one. What's special about this book is it was begun by author Rebecca Godfrey, who you might be familiar with if you watched under the Bridge, the Hulu FX adaptation of her work of nonfiction true crime. She sadly passed away at a very young age a couple years ago, and she had started this book and she decided she wanted it finished and so she asked her friend, author Leslie Jamison, to finish it for her. So she got it started. She had all these notes and a sketch of where it was going, and Leslie took it up and finished the book. So I'm really excited about that one. I think it's a really interesting and moving project to finish your friend's work.

[B]

Got a text here. Someone who's reading Knights of the Plague and Martyr. Oh, that was an excellent book.

[C]

Martyr was a very good. And that's a debut novel by Kaveh Akbar.

[B]

There you go. Bing, bing, bing. Another book you're excited about is called the Hypocrite.

[C]

Okay. I saw this one when I was in the uk. I didn't buy it. I should have, but now it's coming out soon in the US So I'm very excited. It's by Joe Hamya and. And it is about an aging famous novelist who goes to see his daughter's play. And as he's sitting there and watching it, he realizes, oh my God, this play's about me. It's like that meme. Have you seen Is this play about me? It literally is in this case. And it's about a summer that they spent together, a vacation they took, and he's one of those guys who's like an old fashioned, maybe on the verge of getting me to'd. It sounds really interesting having to sit there and watch what your daughter thinks about you unfold on stage. So that one is called the Hypocrite by Joe Hamya. It should be out in the the US In August.

[B]

Got a text. I think I'm going to read Jordan's recommendation of night watching for the debut author category. She sold me with the scariest book she's ever read, even though I don't read that many scary books.

[C]

I'm thrilled to hear it. It was. It's really so good.

[B]

Explain to people what it's about who didn't hear.

[C]

So this one is about a home invasion. So if home invasion is really scary to you, maybe not. But it's a woman who wakes up in the middle of the night to discover that there's a man in her house. She's there alone with her two kids and. And she brings them to this hidden room in her remote New England house. And it goes from there. There's a lot in there about believing women, about feminism, and it's also really freaking scary.

[B]

All right, so we're on the scary spooky tip. Let's talk about is this house of bone and rain.

[C]

Yes. This is by Gabino Iglesias. It's about a group of five teenage boys who decide to seek revenge against the largest gang in Puerto Rico for the murder of one of their mothers. And all of this takes place place in the backdrop of a large tropical storm, a hurricane that's coming to the island. So I think it's going to be both a moving story and a scary one and an intense one. That one is also out in August.

[B]

Listeners, we want to hear what you're reading for our summer reading challenge. Jordan Loff, our producer, is here. She's the one stuffing the envelope. She's the one getting to the bottom of it. Our number is 2124-3396-9221-2333 wnyc. Tell us one of the four books or all the books? The four of the seven. You're going to read one book for the seven categories. Here we go. A class that you've been meaning to get to, a book by a debut novelist, a recommendation by a friend, a book set or about New York, a book translated from another language, a book being turned into a TV series or a movie. Series. Movie or a book you heard about on all of it. Once you've completed the challenge, we'll send around a form for you to fill out with your selections. You'll be eligible for a special prize. We had our book on earlier today, Capote's Women.

[C]

I was just going to say that one. If you heard about it and you find it interesting. I read the whole thing. I thought it was fascinating. You can count that as a book that you heard about on all of it. Or if you read it like me and you were thinking, hey, I've never read In Cold Blood, but I probably should. That can count as a classic you've been meaning to get to. And the backstory of Truman Capote working on that, which I learned while reading the Capote's Women book. I mean, he really like almost fell in love with one of the killers. It's a whole story.

[B]

And it also was a TV series.

[C]

It also was a TV series. There you go. So that one could count for all different kinds of categories. I'm making it easy for you guys.

[B]

The next one could fit in a book about or set in New York.

[C]

Yes, this is the Rich People have Gone Away by Regina Porter. This one also comes out in August. It is about a pregnant Brooklyn resident who goes missing in the midst of the COVID 19 pandemic and the people who are trying to find her, the people in her life who care about her and want to figure out what's happened to her. As you can maybe guess by the title, it's about, you know, the people who maybe weren't able to leave the city when some of us were able to get out in the midst of the pandemic. So I'd be really interested to see what that one works. That one takes us. And that one is also out in August by regina porter.

[B]

Angela, online one. You got 20 seconds to tell us your books. Go for it.

[C]

Okay. Nostromo by Joseph Conrad. City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver and Percival Everett Jayne.

[B]

There you go. I've read two out of three really good, good choices.

[C]

Demon Copperhead is an absolute winner. If you haven't read it, go get it right now.

[B]

Jordan Law, thanks so much for your help today.

[C]

Thank you.

[B]

And that is all of it for today. I'm Alison Stewart. I appreciate you listening and I do appreciate you. I will meet you back here next time.

[A]

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[C]

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