Open Book

Live Wire Radio presents Open Book with Elena Passarello, a new limited-series podcast launching June 11, 2025.

The series will feature conversations with a series of acclaimed writers, cracking the spine on their most intimate relationships: the ones they have with books.

Award-winning writer and Live Wire announcer Elena Passarello steers candid conversations covering all things bookish, from reading habits and book recommendations to controversial literary opinions. The podcast invites listeners to eavesdrop on the kind of passionate book talk that’s typically reserved for late nights and second glasses of wine, with guests including Pulitzer Prize finalist Karen Russell (The Antidote), novelist Omar El Akkad (What Strange Paradise, One Day, Everyone Will Always Have Been Against This), Maintenance Phase podcaster Aubrey Gordon, culture writer Scaachi Koul (Sucker Punch), and bestselling essayist Melissa Febos (Girlhood, The Dry Season).

Eight new episodes will be released every Wednesday within the Live Wire podcast feed. Open Book is distributed by Peabody-winning public media organization PRX.

“I knew talking to writers about books was going to be fun, but I had no idea how fun,” said Passarello. “Seriously, our guests have been offering up some insightful, silly, and very opinionated thoughts on reading, and I think listeners will have a blast, too. They’ll also get about six thousand ideas about new books to add to their ‘to be read’ piles!”

Brought to you by Powell’s Books!

Show Notes

Karen Russell, author of the award-winning Swamplandia, and most recently, The Antidote. 

Book recommendations by Karen Russell:

Books mentioned by Elena: