Senior Staff Writer at "The Ringer" Michael V. Pina share the book that showed him what he could do one day, if he worked hard - write about basketball. Playing for Keeps by David Halberstam is the seminal 1999 sports biography that's not exactly a biography - it's about basketball, it's about the NBA, and it's about how sports brings people together. Michael talks through what he loves about the game, if he really thinks Michael Jordan is the GOAT, and the exact moment this book changed his life (it was on an airplane!).

And what is a book about Michael Jordan, if we never hear the voice of Michael Jordan? His absence is a question mark that lingers throughout the book....

Read Playing for Keeps by David Halberstam

Read Michael's work at The Ringer

Follow Michael on Instagram

Michael's GQ article on "The Last Dance" and Bill Russell

This podcast is hosted by Rebecca Thandi Norman, produced by Kate Krosschell, and sound engineered by Winther Robinson. Title music is by DJARTMUSIC. We'd love to hear from you! If you have questions or comments, reach out at bookimprintpodcast@gmail.com, or follow us at @bookimprintpodcast on Instagram.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beauty editor and creative director Anne-Marie Guarnieri shares the book that made her want to move to New York City as a teenager - The Andy Warhol Diaries. She and host Rebecca Thandi Norman dive into the format of the diary (it's written by someone else), the tone of the entries, and how reading the diary can change one's perspective on Andy Warhol as both an artist and a human being. It's a nearly-thousand page tome that's just weird and propulsive enough to make you want to read the whole thing!

Read The Andy Warhol Diaries, edited by Pat Hackett

Subscribe to Starving for Beauty

Follow Anne-Marie on Instagram and see her portfolio

This podcast is hosted by Rebecca Thandi Norman, produced by Kate Krosschell, and sound engineered by Winther Robinson. Title music is by DJARTMUSIC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first episode of season 1, host Rebecca Thandi Norman welcomes comedian and writer Josh Gondelman to discuss the classic kids' comedy book, Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar. They dive into how to structure jokes for kids that still resonate with adults and to how this book is reflected in Josh's own work. How does a comedian build his comedic sensibility? Books are a pretty good start!

Read Sideways Stories from Wayside School

Subscribe to Josh's newsletter, That's Marvelous!

Read Josh's book, Nice Try: Stories of Best Intentions and Mixed Results

Resources we discussed off-mic:

Labour Notes

How Things Work by Hamilton Nolan

Salvo by Kim Kelly

Jacobin articles by Alex N. Press

Have questions or comments? Get in touch: bookimprintpodcast@gmail.com. Follow along on Instagram at @bookimprintpodcast.

This podcast is hosted by Rebecca Thandi Norman, produced by Kate Krosschell, and sound engineered by Winther Robinson. Title music is by DJARTMUSIC.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.