Have to agree with other reviewers in saying that the show was much better under Pamela Paul. I had to stop listening to the current iteration because it just feels so disorganized, and there’s not nearly enough interviews with authors about their own work.

At first I really enjoyed the new host but as time goes on the caliber of authors interviewed and books discussed has been on the very low end of the high-low spectrum. I’m all for a high low, entertaining approach but the New York Times should still be able to get the top writers and provide us with some stimulating challenging episodes about literature as well. Also I’m sorry but there’s no excuse or justification for frequently and almost systematically spoiling books time and time again. You can discuss books in depth without giving things away.

Gilbert, Your interview with Colum McCann was delightful. Your questions were as intriguing as his responses. You’ve really grown into your role as host.

I miss Slate’s audio bookclub so much and nothing can compete. However, the monthly offering here is pretty good! I like MJ a lot and I think he does a good job facilitating. The other episodes are less inspired and very hit or miss. (Didn’t like the Pamela Paul era, but loved the Sam Tanenhaus era that ended over a decade ago!)

I’m an MFA Creative Writing candidate and I wish I had these hosts in my workshop! Everyone brings such an impressive breadth of literary and theoretical knowledge to the table. Love the book club episodes as much as the interviews. Definitely a top 3 book podcast for me!

Gilbert is a decent host. But some of the guest hosts are of questionable quality. Joumana speaks in a singsong cadence like a teenager and uses the word LIKE at least three times in a sentence. She claims to be an English major but doesn’t know Mark Twains real name. Or much else. The books discussed are liberal choices, often social injustices or politics. No surprise, it’s the New York Times. Disappointed in the lack of breadth or depth.

Was a great podcast in the Pamela Paul days (though I hate her transphobia and stupid op-eds), the show was just much better organized and produced then. I don’t know who any of these people are, they seem to be really trying hard to make the show young and hip or something but it makes it really dumbed down. Sometimes I wonder if the commentators really spend much time reading or thinking about books. I want this podcast to reveal interesting new books to me, give critical insights and keep me up with the trends, but instead it’s a chat show with middlebrow commentators. I mean, where are the real book critics/people with credentials? It’s kind of depressing and feels anti-intellectual somehow.

This was a much, much better podcast when hosted by Pamela Paul. I listened to this podcast because I’m interested in books and authors, not movies.

Weeks of shows about movies?!? A half hour devoted to the making of “Wicked”?!?! Is this a podcast about books?

The interview about the screenplay and the movie Conclave was so interesting. The movie is a beauty in so many ways. A favorite scene (with the look by Ralph Fiennes of helplessness and hope that needed no dialogue) is the xerox scene with Isabella Rossellini. Thank you

This group sounded a like junior high kids, giggly, full of themselves and annoying. Please let’s have a serious moderator with good discussion questions. Had to turn it off midway even though I loved the book. Gave it two stars for the choice of a great book.

I enjoyed when authors would be interviewed on recent or upcoming releases, updates on the publishing world, and titles the staff looked forward to. I don’t find it interesting to listen in on a book club. There seems to be no consistency.

I recently discovered this podcast, and I love it! I especially like the episodes where the host and guests look ahead to some books that are coming up. Everyone is insightful and they seem to like different kinds of books, which I appreciate. The interviews with authors are fascinating as well. I’ve noticed many reviewers say they miss an old format from a couple years ago… I didn’t listen then, but as a recent subscriber, I really enjoy this podcast!

Does anyone at the Times read these reviews? It’s astonishing to me that reviewers have for years now been begging for a host other than Gilbert Cruz and just gone ignored. This man constantly tells us how little he reads almost as if he takes pride in how unqualified he is for this job.

I miss Pamela Paul who was brilliant, bold, insightful and fun. Now the podcast has numerous reviewers on every show having a loud party, speaking in affected voices, shrieking and laughing at each other’s comments, allowing the audience to see how smart and fun they are. Yes, you’re all very smart but please tone it down!

Sorry, folks, but 2 stars because can only listen to about 2 episodes. So many other book podcast out there for free, no thanks NYT

Subscription only now? Really? I kind of enjoyed listening to get book recs and bc I love books but there are people out here doing amazing podcasts for free yet a big corporation like NYT is going to have mediocre to decent podcast have to pay for? Not trying to spend money on nyt who is a media corporation who has skewed journalism (just look up headlines on the war in Iraq or Gaza and how nyt is treating those atrocities or white washing the killings of POC) yeah not cool to make this a subscription only

I used to look forward to new episodes every Friday, but this new format has left me with months of back episodes. If I haven’t read a book, why would I listen to a book club on it, or an episode about novel assuming I’ve read it. The old format was amazing and made me actually seek out books to read. These retrospective episodes or discussions that contain spoilers aren’t something I can listen to regularly. Also, GC is a terrible interviewer and host. Let Tina Jordan do it! She’s always a delight, and she knows what she’s talking about. I can’t imagine you’ve gained listeners since the format changed.

I thought this was a wonderful, in depth review of one of the world’s great books. It took me three or four times listening to the review to get used to some of the sing song voices of the reviewers. Some of the sing song voices sounded as if they were reading Rather than speaking. It may be related to the way some people inflect upward, as if they are asking you a question at the end of every sentence.

I love books and book reviews so I’m the perfect audience for a book review podcast. I’m even a longtime NYT and NYRB subscriber. Sadly, the NYT Book Review podcast is not very interesting. The worst part may be the recurring NYT reviewer, MJ Franklin who sounds like a pre-school teacher talking to 4-year olds. Hopefully the NYT will scrap the current podcast format and produce a podcast worthy of its Sunday book review section.

Now that I have to pay to listen, I feel newly empowered to ask the Times to improve the host in this podcast. Mr. Cruz doesn't seem to enjoy books--the most common sentence I hear from him is, "I haven't read this book, but . . ."Please have one of the talented editors take over hosting duties. The New York Times can do much better. Mr. Cruz would be an excellent host for a pop culture podcast.

Very disappointed that you have taken out all the old episodes. I have a shared subscription and can only see the latest 3 episodes. Hope you can reconsider this decision.

Updated: can't believe you put all the past episodes behind a pay wall. Such a disappointment that you would go for the money grab. Instead of a subscriber, you have actually lost a listener. Only discovered a few months ago but I'm addicted. Great variety of shows between interviews, lists, spotlights, "what we are reading." The only problem is after every episode my "To-Read" book list grows and grows and I'm going to need to live to 105 to finish it.

I hope the reviews are being taken into consideration since there is a consensus that the editor of the book review is not a good podcast host. This podcast has been beloved for so many years. Please do something to improve it and bring back the quality of talent that we have enjoyed for so long. NYT can do better than this.

I would not pay for a subscription to the NYTimes just to be able to listen to this podcast. It has been completely dumbed down since Pamela Paul left.

This podcast was fully formed and successful when Mr Cruz took over the NYTBR sometime in august/September and John Williams left for the WPost. It should not take three months to reimagine a series such as this podcast even if one thinks the series needed reimagining, which it did not.

This new iteration is just a superficial mentioning of titles. What a waste of time. Bring back the old review! Or since that can’t be done, have a host who actually enjoys reading!

I love the content of this podcast, but the mic for the host must be of poor quality. It’s painful to listen—almost like a dull buzz. So unlike other Times podcasts.

The hosts and NYT guests seem smug — they should know that their inside jokes are not funny, but boring. The old podcast was a weekly favorite, this one not so much.

This used to be my favorite podcast. Found wonderful books through it. Now it seems the hosts disdain their listeners, and don’t bring you along. Twice recently GC has said “I’m sure everyone knows this book/author” but that’s why many of us listen- we don’t have time to read like a book editor so we want to learn. I’m so sad to lose this. For others like me, check out the New Yorker Culture podcast - “critics at large” which has some of the best elements of the old version of this show.

Some of these editors seem to be significantly less knowledgeable about literature than a listener of a book podcast would hope.

Robert Caro recounted Moses’s blocking of any light rail lines in Long Island, a design that led to unbearable human costs as people get stuck in traffic for up to five hours a day five days a week and Cruz finds this funny??? And then Cruz follows up with a question that tries to find humor about this situation?? This is why I had been a listener since the Sam days, but bailed on it a month after Cruz took over. Get rid if Cruz!

MJ, please practice your presentation and lose the unnecessary word “like”! I find myself starting to count the number of “likes” you use and then have to stop listening. I would love to stick with the discussion but the irritation over the adolescent speech pattern chases me away.

Very weird that you’ve never read house of mirth!

I only check in with this podcast from time to time and am always surprised at the degree to which they spoil novels’ plots. Just as they were finishing their review of ‘Master Slave Husband Wife,’ one of them casually spoils the end of the novel! For no reason whatsoever—it was just said in passing. And then two of them gigglingly say “Spoiler alert,” AFTER they drop the spoiler!! Unbelievable. If these people were my friends I would avoid talking to them about books. Can’t believe people can be so knowledgeable about books and still be so dense about what a listener wants from a book reviewer. Tell us what we need to know in order to be enticed and no more.

Just finished listening to the August 9 episode and I relished every minute. Maybe because Gilbert C and I are enjoying the same book at the same time? But no, Anna Dubenko and Joumana Khatib were just as much fun. These are all readers with wide interests and firm opinions (don't try to borrow a book from Anna) and their love of books and reading shines through. I might listen again.

Please put a photo of the book you are talking about

August 9 very rambling!

I can’t seem to connect at all with the new topics and format. 😢

I miss the insights into and updates about the publishing industry, but otherwise enjoy this podcast.

Deeply disappointed that three of three hosts spent minutes talking about visiting with and consulting with their psychics. Really?? I thought you were educated people. I really don’t want to hear this nonsense. Unsubscribing.

I used to be a regular listener but now weeks or months go by where I don’t hit play at all. I miss the old crew and format.

The new format seems to be covering lots of what I call “airport lit”. I miss the old days when more substantive literature was covered, and I actually learned something.

I looked forward to Fridays when the new podcast would drop but there are now weeks when I don’t even listen to it. I miss the discussions on what everyone is reading as well as the reviews of new books. Not sure why they have made it so short as well.

I loved the podcast and I’m looking forward to its return. I loved the interviews, the publishing news and especially enjoyed hearing about what everyone is reading. The reruns are ok but I’ve basically stopped listening and I just check in to see if it’s something I haven’t heard or don’t remember.🥲 So the new content is ok as far as it goes but we are only getting 25%. So sad 😞 5/26/24 Upped my stars because I love MJ’s book club! Appreciate the head’s up on upcoming titles. However the rest of the podcast has become more popular culture than literary. I used to look forward to each episode and now I have to remind myself to check on it.

This podcast certainly has gone downhill fast. Would like to see everyone replaced on this.

I prefer the old format. I’ve just about stopped listening to the new one. Seems like a hodgepodge no coherence.

Gorgeous interview with Colm Toibin! I wish I could just hop off this train I’m on and buy his book. Alas I just outside of Philadelphia. Hey though, plenty of bookstores in NYC.

Great addition. Reminiscent of the excellent staff discussions at the end of the old format. Please keep the Book Club going. Gilbert makes it sound experimental. It worked well in the past and has really improved the podcast’s overall quality.

I like the new book club feature (tho MJs speaking voice for radio needs oomph) but they would need to be more frequent to up the chance of even occasionally having read the book in question. And please at least 2x a month bring back the classic episodes with several books covered, author interview, etc.