Book Riot – The Podcast

Episode: 2025 It Books Scorekeeping and December New Releases
Date: December 3, 2025
Hosts: Jeff O’Neal & Rebecca Schinsky

Episode Overview

In this episode, Jeff and Rebecca break from their traditional "It Books" format due to a quieter-than-usual December release slate. Instead, they preview a handful of notable December books and conduct a spirited and often self-deprecating review of their “It Book” picks from January to November 2025. The discussion expands to reflections on the nature of book “success,” notable industry news, and a heartfelt tribute to playwright Tom Stoppard. The tone is equal parts bookish banter, genuine literary analysis, and friendly ribbing—a classic Book Riot episode for readers keen on industry insight and end-of-year list discourse.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The State of December Book Releases

• “As light of a December as I can remember…”
  — Jeff (02:56) laments the lack of major releases, noting “really, it’s this week and next week, because then after that, really things fall off the cliff.” The usual "It Books" slot is slim.
• December is described as “kind of a half month”—publishers often avoid end-of-year releases due to holiday schedules and end-of-year lists being largely set.

2. “Canon Contenders” and Literary Longevity

• Reflecting on their recent “Canon Contenders of 2025” episode from “Zero to Well Read,” Rebecca outlines how they tried to guess which of this year’s big titles might still be read in 5, 10, or even 50 years:
  • “We tried to guess, educated guesses, you know, with our Spidey senses born of years in publishing, which ones we might still be talking about in five or 10 or 20 or maybe even 50 years…” (Rebecca, 03:37)
• There’s agreement that “very few books…actually last and are remembered.” (03:53)

3. The Uniqueness of Books vs. Other Media

• The hosts discuss why certain experiences—like the feel of the “Linklater Trilogy” films or “Ocean’s Eleven”—are hard to translate into books.
  • Rebecca: “I believe that I will probably die wondering if a book could ever feel the way that the Linklater before trilogy feels. And that’s okay with me.” (06:28)
  • Jeff compares screenplay and stage play experiences, arguing some storytelling magic is medium-specific.

4. Tom Stoppard Tribute

• Jeff delivers a moving reflection on Stoppard’s legacy after his passing:
  • “Is this what it felt like to watch Shakespeare in 1599? And I know that’s falutin’…” (Jeff, 08:52)
  • “If you like ideas and you like language, there’s nothing like it.” (Jeff, 12:13)
• Rebecca mentions Ethan Hawke’s Instagram tribute, encapsulating readers’ and actors’ admiration for Stoppard’s craftsmanship. (12:48)
• The segment is full of affection and nostalgia for theater, writing, and creativity.

5. December 2025 New Releases – “Naming Guys” Segment

Jeff runs through notable (if not headline-grabbing) December books and their potential “It” status:

Major Titles Discussed (19:38–30:18)

• American Canto by Olivia Nuzzi
  • Noted for high “discourse” but low expectations; “the gall of calling it American Canto” is roasted.
    • “Can hubris be cringe?” (Jeff, 20:59)
• House of Day, House of Night by Olga Tokarczuk
  • “Anytime you have a Nobel Prize winner out with a book…in this kind of a month, I think that would be this thing.” (Jeff, 22:27)
  • Rebecca recommends “Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead” as another strong Tokarczuk option.
• Somewhere: A Boy and a Bear by Gyles Brandreth
  • 100th anniversary of Winnie the Pooh discussed alongside the more bittersweet reality behind the stories.
  • Jeff: “I’m terrified that the Disneyfication of Winnie the Pooh has taken over the original stories, which I think are superior.” (23:43)
• A Danger to the Minds of Young Girls by Adam Morgan
  • Explores Margaret C. Anderson and her literary/publishing activism; positioned as a significant biography for book and feminist history buffs.
• A Long Game: Notes on Writing Fiction by Elizabeth McCracken
  • Touted as a “writer’s favorite writer,” with anticipation for a sharp craft book.
  • “If anybody can make a craft book interesting, it’s Elizabeth McCracken.” (Rebecca, 27:45)
• The Tower and the Ruin: J.R.R. Tolkien's Creation by Michael Drought
  • Jeff highlights the enduring appeal of Tolkien studies for “enthusiast” readers.
• Every Day I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books by Hwang Bo Rem
  • Quirky, illustrated, and potentially a good “stocking stuffer” for bookish types.

Rebecca’s Pick

• Feast on Your Life by Tamar Adler
  • “Essays about food and cooking and eating…” (Rebecca, 30:19)
  • Rebecca plans to curl up over the holidays and read these essays: “I will curl up by my Christmas tree at some point in late December and read food essays.” (Rebecca, 31:03)

Dark Academia/Fiction Mentioned

• An Arcane Inheritance by Camilla Cole
  • Pitched for fans of Babel and A Deadly Education; December 30th release prompts a side debate about publication calendar woes.

6. Book Industry Gripes: Publication Schedules & List Fraud

• Jeff and Rebecca both bemoan the confusion created by end-of-year publication dates and how editors fudge “best of” lists by including November releases.
  • Jeff: “Calendar fraud…in their December picks of the month, they included November books.” (33:02)
• Praise for Publishers Weekly’s “however many books deserve to be on the list is how long the list is…” approach. (Rebecca, 33:37)

7. “It Books” 2025 Picks Scorecard: Accountability Time (39:01+)

Jeff and Rebecca revisit their monthly “It Book” picks, celebrate successes, and flag misses, with hindsight from sales, prize lists, and media coverage.

Highlights by Month:

• January:
  • Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros – “the right choice” with crowd buzz and special editions. (40:01)
  • We Do Not Part by Hong Kong had more literary endurance than expected.
• February:
  • Death Takes Me by Cristina Rivera Garza – “the most extreme example...of a discrepancy between package and the contents.” (Rebecca, 42:03)
  • In hindsight, One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This should have been the pick (won National Book Award).
• March:
  • A “murderer’s row” of releases, with Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McGonaghy and Buffalo Hunter Hunter by Stephen Graham Jones standing out.
  • Sunrise on the Reaping (Suzanne Collins) called a cultural phenomenon “playing a different game.”
• April:
  • Audition by Katie Kitamura – “I think that was right.” (Rebecca, 45:27)
• May:
  • Relatively “soft month”; Emperor of Gladness by Ocean Vuong gets the Oprah pick.
• June:
  • Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid – “I think that was right. Still.” (Rebecca, 47:24)
• July:
  • Angel Down by Daniel Krause – “it is today the right [pick]…extraordinarily good.” (Jeff, 48:13)
• August:
  • Katabases by RF Kuang – “Indeed. We were correct.” (Rebecca, 50:03)
  • People Like Us by Jason Mott gets a shout-out for its under-appreciated zany/brainy vibes.
• September:
  • Will There Ever Be Another You was chosen, but Mother Mary Comes To Me (Arundhati Roy) wins in hindsight for Memoir of the Year.
• October:
  • Correction: A Guardian and a Thief by Megha Majumdar is the real “It Book” for its critical hits, not Shadow Ticket by Thomas Pynchon.
• November:
  • Palaver by Bryan Washington is tentatively correct; Cursed Daughters also strong.

Final Tally: “We got seven out of eleven. That’s pretty good…I’m not embarrassed by any of the picks, honestly. Better than chance, better than 50. 50 is a real win.” (Rebecca, 56:39)

8. The Problem of Blurb Hyperbole

• Rebecca rails against “blurb inflation,” citing “Not since the Book of Genesis…” on her One Hundred Years of Solitude copy (36:15).
• Jeff: “Caution is always warranted. I like how that just blows past like the Gospels.” (36:32)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On the 2025 reading landscape:
  • “I feel like our sense that nothing coalesced is kind of right and we got a little spoiled…” (Jeff, 01:57)
• On book-to-film adaptation magic:
  • “I believe that I will probably die wondering if a book could ever feel the way that the Linklater before trilogy feels. And that’s okay with me.” — Rebecca Schinsky (06:28)
• On Tom Stoppard’s legacy:
  • “If you like ideas and you like language, there’s nothing like it.” — Jeff O’Neill (12:13)
• On publisher/retailer list games:
  • “Calendar fraud…We have to stick together here. We cannot do this.” — Jeff (33:02)
• On “It Books” predictions:
  • “Seven out of eleven. That’s pretty good…I’m not embarrassed by any of the picks, honestly. Better than chance, better than 50.” — Rebecca (56:39)
• On book blurbs:
  • “Not since the Book of Genesis has there been a book that everyone on earth should be required to read…let’s be careful out there.” — Jeff (36:15)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–01:04 – Ads, sponsor read, show intro
• 01:07–02:40 – “It Books” format abandoned for December; overview of year
• 03:37–05:05 – Canon Contenders and the rarity of literary longevity
• 06:07–07:49 – The impossibility of certain experiences in literature vs. film
• 07:50–13:38 – Tom Stoppard tribute & his influence
• 19:38–30:18 – Rapid-fire rundown of December 2025 releases; major books discussed
• 33:02–34:13 – Rant about publication calendars and list integrity
• 39:01–52:24 – In-depth month-by-month scorekeeping of “It Book” picks
• 56:39–58:15 – Final verdict on prediction accuracy; pride in process
• 58:19–End – Closing and outro

Conclusion

This episode zooms out from holiday-specific picks to reflect on how books do (or don’t) break through in a crowded, capricious year. Jeff and Rebecca remain candid, wry, and as interested in the patterns of literary culture as in the books themselves. With deep dives, playful jabs at the industry, and affectionate tributes, it’s a satisfying listen for readers wanting a smart, skeptical, and celebratory view of the year in books.