The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode: Stephen & Evie | Late Show Book Club

Date: December 8, 2025
Main Theme:
A heartfelt and engaging installment of the Late Show Book Club, Stephen Colbert and his wife Evie discuss Niall Williams’ novel This Is Happiness, their lifelong love of reading, the books that shaped their lives, and the meaning of happiness and gratitude. Blending gentle humor, real-life anecdotes, and literary passion, the episode serves both as a thoughtful book club conversation and an intimate look at the Colberts’ relationship.

Key Discussion Points

1. Why This Is Happiness?

[04:04–05:25]

• Evie’s Reason for Choosing the Book:
  • Drawn to Irish books and the vivid sense of time and place, particularly Faha, Ireland, in 1958.
  • The novel touches on themes of love, friendship, and coming of age.
  • “But it really is, I think also it’s a book about place and time, but it’s also a book about love and friendship and a coming of age story.” – Evie Colbert [04:25]
• Stephen’s Response:
  • He wanted to share Evie’s joy and needed a reason (via the Book Club) to make time for reading it amidst his work schedule.
  • “Unless I made it part of work, I wouldn’t read it. And so that’s why I said this... So I would read it because I saw how much you were enjoying it, and I was... more than a little jealous.” – Stephen Colbert [04:54–05:12]

2. Reading Together: Their Relationship & Books

[05:25–06:15, 10:45–12:02]

• Early in their relationship, Stephen used to read novels to Evie during dates and even over the phone.
  • “When we first started dating, I would read you books.” – Stephen [05:30]
• Evie jokes about whether Stephen knew she could read, calling early book-sharing “a period of initiation” or “hazing.”
• Shared reading continued into marriage; Evie found Stephen reading to her “comfort food” and describes a playful bedtime routine where Stephen added nonsensical events to test if she was listening.
  • “As I would feel your breathing get steady again, I would throw in things like, ‘And then the volcano erupted, and then Idi Amin showed up and served everyone a roast turkey.’” – Stephen [11:29]

3. Books & Music in Their Family

[06:15–08:43]

• The Power of Music in Relationships:
  • Their wedding song: "Sometimes" by Sweet Honey in the Rock – a unique, slow choice they fondly remember.
    • “It’s not a great song to pick for your wedding because no one had ever heard it. And it’s really slow... but you wouldn’t have heard it on American Bandstand.” – Evie Colbert [06:33]
• Favorite Children’s Books:
  • Among their children’s favorites: Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel, A.A. Milne’s House at Pooh Corner, and Richard Scarry books.
• Advice to Parents:
  • Demonstrate your own love of reading.
    • “Read to your children.” – Stephen [07:51]
    • “Let them see you reading... Sometimes it’s, you have to demonstrate behavior.” – Evie [07:52]
  • Memories of “reading hour” and the comfort/family tradition of everyone reading together.

4. Desert Island Books

[08:50–10:41]

• If stranded, Stephen would pick something substantial he hasn't yet read, like Moby Dick, for possible survival tips and sheer length.
  • “Maybe if we’re stuck on an island, maybe Moby Dick, because there might be some lessons in there about seamanship or something. I’ve never read it.” – Stephen [09:02]
• Evie would choose Ulysses by James Joyce, which she admits never finishing, recalling a challenging class they took together.
  • “I would bring, I think, James Joyce’s Ulysses because I’ve never been able to finish it. And it’s really... I think you could spend a lifetime trying to finish it.” – Evie [09:26]
• They reminisce about a night-school course on Ulysses, the struggle of keeping up, and falling behind – “No questions!” [09:35–10:22]

5. Thoughts on Happiness (Reflecting on the Book’s Title)

[12:02–14:13]

• Defining Happiness:
  • Stephen echoes Williams: Happiness is freedom from fear, being fully present.
    • “If it’s in those moments when you are free of fear, it’s freedom from fear. That’s happiness. Because happiness is you using your mind and your heart, appreciate the things around you.” – Stephen [12:25]
• Community as Happiness:
  • Evie connects the book’s sense of community to her own hometown, Charleston.
  • She values “understanding other people as they are, not who you want them to be.”
    • “That’s what I think is the joy of life. And that’s what the book captures so beautifully to me.” – Evie [13:37]

6. Gratitude and Family

[14:13–14:49]

• The Colberts express gratitude for their happy children, their large Thanksgiving gathering, and the “many people that we know and love in our lives,” including their work colleagues.
  • “That we get to make things together. That’s beautiful.” – Stephen [14:45]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “It reminds me of our hometown, Charleston... It is being with people present and understanding who they are... That’s what I think is the joy of life.” – Evie Colbert [13:02–13:37]
• “I think I would agree with him. If it’s in those moments when you are free of fear, it’s freedom from fear. That’s happiness.” – Stephen Colbert [12:25]
• “We’ve got a lot of books.” – Stephen Colbert [10:43]
• “As I would feel your breathing get steady again, I would throw in things like... Idi Amin showed up and served everyone a roast turkey.” – Stephen Colbert [11:29]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Choosing the Book & Book Club Setup: [04:04–05:25]
• Reading Together as a Couple: [05:25–06:15], [10:45–12:02]
• Music and Marriage Reflections: [06:15–06:46]
• Favorite Children’s Books & Reading with Kids: [07:07–08:43]
• Desert Island Books: [08:50–10:41]
• Defining Happiness: [12:02–13:37]
• Gratitude & Thanksgiving: [14:13–14:49]

Overall Tone & Takeaway

This episode’s tone is warm, affectionate, candid, and sprinkled with Stephen’s signature humor. It’s a celebration of stories—how they shape family, relationships, and identity. The Colberts open up about their marriage, parenting, and what makes them truly happy, all anchored in their shared love of books. Their reflections on happiness and gratitude are especially resonant during the holidays, delivering comfort and insight for listeners and readers alike.