Zero to Well-Read

In honor of America's 250th birthday, Jeff and Rebecca sit down with historical content creator and political commentator Amanda Nelson for a deep dive into the U.S. Constitution. They talk about what the framers were reacting to when they outlined the foundation of a new government, what the Constitution does and doesn't say about individual rights, and how a concept that is never specifically named in the document has shaped the country ever since.

Find Amanda's Mild Takes on Substack or follow @amandasmildtakes on the socials.

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Email us: zerotowellread@bookriot.com

Thank you to ThriftBooks for being the presenting sponsor of this season of Zero to Well-Read!

Zero to Well-Read is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network.

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Go to Quince.com/wellread for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!
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Anthony Bourdain wasn't trying to change restaurant culture when he wrote the viral essay that would become the basis for his bestselling debut memoir Kitchen Confidential, but change it he did. This week, on the occasion of what would have been Bourdain's 70th birthday, Rebecca and Jeff roll up their sleeves to revisit the book that revolutionized food writing and reshaped how we think about eating and travel.

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Follow Zero to Well-Read on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

Email us: zerotowellread@bookriot.com

Thank you to ThriftBooks for being the presenting sponsor of this season of Zero to Well-Read!

Zero to Well-Read is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network.

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Go to Quince.com/wellread for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elena Ferrante's Neapolitan Quartet sparked a global phenomenon, and in 2024, the New York Times named My Brilliant Friend—the first book in the series—the best book of the century so far. This week, Jeff and Rebecca dive into the book that ignited "Ferrante Fever" and the mysterious author readers praise for capturing girlhood and female friendship like no one else.

Subscribe to our free newsletter, and become a member for access to early, ad-free listening and bonus content.

Follow Zero to Well-Read on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

Email us: zerotowellread@bookriot.com

Thank you to ThriftBooks for being the presenting sponsor of this season of Zero to Well-Read!

Zero to Well-Read is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network.

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Go to Quince.com/wellread for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a dilemma every reader has faced: what do you do when you really want to read a big, intimidating book, but you don't know how to get started? Jeff and Rebecca sit down with Emily Wilson—classics professor, MacArthur Fellow, and the first woman to publish a full English translation of The Odyssey—for a conversation about how to conquer bookish imposter syndrome, what to look for when you're choosing between multiple editions of translations of a classic work, and why it's worth it to work through challenging reads. Come for the pro tips, stay for Dr. Wilson reading in Greek.

Subscribe to our free newsletter, and become a member for access to early, ad-free listening and bonus content.

Follow Zero to Well-Read on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

Email us: zerotowellread@bookriot.com

Thank you to ThriftBooks for being the presenting sponsor of this season of Zero to Well-Read!

Zero to Well-Read is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network.

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Go to Quince.com/wellread for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Maya Angelou's debut autobiography was an instant hit when it was published in 1969, and it has never gone out of print in the nearly 60 years since it was released. This week, Jeff and Rebecca explore what made I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings so groundbreaking, how Angelou subverted expectations at every turn, and why it continues to be widely celebrated and influential today.

Subscribe to our free newsletter, and become a member for access to early, ad-free listening and bonus content.

Follow Zero to Well-Read on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

Email us: zerotowellread@bookriot.com

Thank you to ThriftBooks for being the presenting sponsor of this season of Zero to Well-Read!

Zero to Well-Read is a proud member of the Airwave Podcast Network.

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Thanks to our sponsor, Quince! Go to Quince.com/wellread for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices