Best Dani Gregorie Podcasts (2025)

1
Father's Day Book Picks 46:06

3d ago46:06

46:06

Jennifer Egan, Jay McInerney, David Grann: (Crystal) Jenny, Jay and David create the Best List of the best books, discuss the stylistic and structural reasons why they love these books, and tell insider stories connected to the books on the list and the authors who wrote them.By Doug Brunt, Jennifer Egan, Jay McInerney, David Grann

1
Montel Williams 59:02

12d ago59:02

59:02

Montel Williams: sparkling water with cranberry juice Montel reveals the worst thing about being deployed on a submarine, explains how Tom Clancy angered the US Navy with his book THE HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER, describes some of the riveting naval scenes in his book that involve the aircraft carrier INTREPID as well as the much earlier US Navy ship INTR…

1
Carl Hiaasen 1:03:44

19d ago1:03:44

1:03:44

Carl Hiaasen: gin & tonic (Barr Hill gin, tonic, lime wedge) Carl discusses the talented Vince Vaughn and how he will forever more inhabit the character Yancy, tells how his surroundings in Florida have changed so much since the time of his youth and why that has inspired him to make Florida a recurring ‘character’ in his novels, reveals a time tha…

1
Chris Pavone 1:15:28

26d ago1:15:28

1:15:28

Chris Pavone: Americano (Campari, sweet vermouth, club soda, orange twist) Chris discusses his early career experiences in publishing meetings with Jaqueline Kennedy Onassis and what her work meant to him and other colleagues, the gifts his wife possesses that made her a great CEO for Penguin Random House and that also guided him to a writing caree…

1
J.D. Barker 56:47

1M ago56:47

56:47

J.D. Barker: White Russian (2 ounces vodka, 1 ounce Kahlua, 1 ounce heavy cream) J.D. talks about how he stalked and then connected with Stephen King, how his partnership with James Patterson has changed his writing method, the way he has turned his Asperger Syndrome into his secret weapon for writing novels, the landmark publishing imprint of his …

1
David Baldacci 46:09

2M ago46:09

46:09

David Baldacci: sparkling water David names the two most underrated thriller writers, describes the way that planning-then-writing a novel can be similar to Tom Brady practicing-then-playing a football game, reveals the mystery books from his childhood that made him love reading, tells of a peak moment of dejection when he doubted he could ever bec…

1
Marcy Dermansky 37:14

2M ago37:14

37:14

Marcy Dermansky: House of Balloons (2 ounces vodka, 1 ounce Aperol, 1/2 ounce lemon juice, 1/2 ounce grapefruit juice, simple syrup, top with club soda) Marcy talks about the struggles of a working writer including waiting in an unemployment line in New York while holding her newborn baby the week of publication of her novel, her isolating move to …

1
Gregory Maguire 1:01:21

2M ago1:01:21

1:01:21

Gregory Maguire: Ginger Mojito Mocktail (grated ginger, grated cucumber, mint, lime juice, ginger ale, sparkling water) Gregory reveals the one book that he later realized had subconsciously guided his reimagining of Oz for his novel WICKED, shares his thoughts on the departures that the adaptations (both stage and film) have taken in reimagining W…

1
Elizabeth Staple 42:44

3M ago42:44

42:44

Elizabeth Staple: Old Fashioned (water, sugar, bitters with 2 1/2 ounces whiskey, garnish with orange and cherry) After working in media relations for the NFL's New York Giants and the New England Patriots, Elizabeth delivers her debut crime thriller THE SNAP that takes us behind the scenes of an NFL franchise. She discusses the many points of over…

1
Alissa Wilkinson 1:01:34

3M ago1:01:34

1:01:34

Alissa Wilkinson: Gibson (3 ounces gin, 1/2 ounce dry vermouth, onion) Film Critic for the New York Times, Alissa gives her take on the Oscars, shares some insider info on Siskel and Ebert, discusses the beginning and end of the Golden Age of TV along with some of her favorites from the era, reflects on Joan Dideon’s admiration for John Wayne and B…

1
David Grann 1:26:39

4M ago1:26:39

1:26:39

David Grann: Mojito (2 ounces white rum, 1 ounce lime juice, sugar, mint, topped with club soda) David discusses his early years covering politics on Capitol Hill, how his mother paved the way for women executives in publishing as the first woman CEO of a major publisher and how she eventually agreed that writing was a good career choice for David,…

1
Karl Anderson 46:38

4M ago46:38

46:38

Capt. Karl Anderson: Spanish Manhattan (2 1/2 ounces Pilar rum, 1 ounce sweet vermouth, bitters, garnish with orange rind) Karl tells of the assignment that his parents gave him when he was a young boy that instilled in him the discipline to become a writer, reminisces about the stories of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig fishing and gunning the same terri…

1
Wendy Walker 59:50

5M ago59:50

59:50

Wendy Walker: Greyhound (1 1/2 ounces vodka, 2 1/2 ounce grapefruit juice) Wendy shares the meticulous approach she took to becoming a bestselling author that began with learning what kind of fiction works for the market, describes what she likes about James Patterson's "winning structural formula", describes her early careers as an investment bank…

1
Alafair Burke 57:18

5M ago57:18

57:18

Alafair Burke: Vesper Martini (2 ounces gin, 3/4 ounce vodka, 1/2 ounce Lillet Blanc) Alafair reveals the haunting impressions of growing up in Kansas during the active period of the BTK serial killer and how that time influenced her path to practicing law and writing crime novels, how she applies her experience as a DA to the pages of her crime th…

1
Spencer Klavan 1:12:35

5M ago1:12:35

1:12:35

Spencer Klavan: scotch Spencer discusses the brimming culture of intolerance during his years at Yale, art and morality, the inherently required translation in all communication as concepts move from the soul to the page, the varied interplay between science and religion through the millennia, the different types of scotch, makes some amazing book …

1
David Coggins 1:20:11

5M ago1:20:11

1:20:11

David Coggins: Pilar rum David Coggins discusses Hemingway’s escapades on his fishing boat Pilar, the secret history of New York’s 21 Club, his process for travel writing and for his Substack: The Contender, what his dad taught him about writing, how there are few Hollywood endings in fishing, the most sought after fishing spot in the world.…

1
Jim Rutenberg 1:10:14

6M ago1:10:14

1:10:14

Jim Rutenberg: mango spritzer (equal parts mango and club soda) Jim discusses the Murdoch family dynastic succession, the slow decline of the Big 3 News anchors and the rise of digital media, the unsteady state of CNN, MSNBC and Fox News, his time as a reporter for Page 6 during it’s zenith, and offers a helpful reminder as we all enter 2025.…

1
Lili Anolik 1:02:05

6M ago1:02:05

1:02:05

Lili Anolik: gimlet (2 1/2 ounces gin, squeezed lime juice, sugar) Lili shares some of the scoop from her terrific biography DIDION & BABITZ including Harrison Ford supplying drugs to much of the 1960s Los Angeles literary scene, Steve Martin's slightly awkward early romantic life, sex with Jim Morrison and Jackson Browne. She also discusses how we…

1
Neal Stephenson 1:06:35

6M ago1:06:35

1:06:35

Neal Stephenson: mezcal margarita (2 ounces mezcal, 1 ounce Cointreau, lime juice) Neal identifies the two greatest threats to the future of humanity, the most compelling inflection points for alternative history, his process for writing his novels (and shares that he writes by hand), the best sci fi book ever written, the best sci fi movie ever ma…

1
Maureen Callahan 1:06:40

7M ago1:06:40

1:06:40

Maureen Callahan: vodka martini (3 ounces vodka, 1/2 ounce dry vermouth, olives) Maureen names the four worst hypocrites in the world today then we debate the world champion from this Final Four (with a special honorable mention), discusses her first job at MTV, describes what it was like to encounter one of the subjects of her “vitriolic” columns …

1
Ken Burns 1:19:20

7M ago1:19:20

1:19:20

Ken Burns: green tea Ken names the three people from history that he’d invite to dinner, discusses the responsibility of a documentary filmmaker to remain factual and objective- and how this responsibility is often violated, offers a humanizing view of Hemingway, reflects on the many qualities of da Vinci that have made him a titan among titans thr…

1
Tom Turcich 52:25

7M ago52:25

52:25

Tom Turcich: Old Fashioned (bitters, sugar, whiskey with cherry and orange rind garnish) Tom walked 28,000 miles around the world with his dog and a converted stroller filled with supplies, then wrote a book that records his adventures and reflections. In terrific travel-writing style he reveals his encounter with a pervert before he managed even t…

1
Linda Fairstein 59:42

8M ago59:42

59:42

Linda discusses founding the sex crimes unit of the Manhattan DA’s office - first in the nation - and when Mariska Hargitay and Dick Wolf shadowed her to help develop the concept for the new show Law & Order: SVU, recounts writing her first novels while still working more than full time as a prosecutor, her writing process for her bestselling Alex …

1
Jay McInerney 1:11:53

8M ago1:11:53

1:11:53

Jay McInerney: Cristal Jay discusses cocaine and a proposition from Truman Capote (spoiler alert: he escaped), his pioneering use of the 2nd-person in BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY, his best moment ever with a glass of wine, the perfect 3-course meal with wine pairing, what Raymond Carver taught him about writing, getting fired from The New Yorker, squat…

1
Nelson DeMille 50:34

9M ago50:34

50:34

Nelson DeMille: Dewar's on the rocks Nelson talks about John Travolta on the set of General's Daughter, the importance of getting characters right even if not PC, the value of a mentor, how he has managed the loss of his wife Sandy with the help of friends and family.By Doug Brunt, Nelson DeMille

1
Gregg Hurwitz 1:00:23

1y ago1:00:23

1:00:23

Gregg Hurwitz: gin & tonic Gregg discusses how Evan Smoak (aka Orphan X) stacks up against Reacher and Bourne, the virtues of Batman and Wolverine, the remaining advantages of humanity over artificial intelligence, how the Shakespearean formula applies to the modern thriller, and which thriller writer he considers his North Star.…

1
Erika Robuck 45:32

1y ago45:32

45:32

Erika Robuck: Bahama Queen (2 1/2 ounces bourbon barreled gin, 1 ounce Grand Marnier, 1 ounce lemon juice, 1/2 ounce pineapple juice, 1/2 ounce passion fruit, 1/2 ounce simple syrup, mint, orange peel) Erika discusses the line between historical fiction and nonfiction in the context of her own books as well as other works of historical fiction like…

1
Lea Carpenter 1:08:31

1y ago1:08:31

1:08:31

Lea Carpenter: Heineken Lea tells what it was like working alongside JFK Jr at George Magazine in the 1990s, her other formative experiences working at Francis Ford Coppola’s Zoetrope and then for The Paris Review, her discovery upon her father’s death that he’d had a career in espionage, how recruiting an asset in espionage is like a marriage prop…

1
Ruth Ware 58:37

1y ago58:37

58:37

Ruth Ware: dry white wine #1 bestselling author Ruth Ware names the two greatest fictional detectives ever, describes the gratitude a former bookseller feels to be a published author, why she made the switch from writing YA fantasy novels to adult crime fiction, her milestones throughout the year to keep an annual publishing pace, how Agatha Christ…

1
Megyn Kelly 57:46

1y ago57:46

57:46

Megyn Kelly: Special Mother’s Day episode (martini: 3 ounces gin, dash dry vermouth, olives) Megyn recommends three books for Mother’s Day and why she chose each, discusses her love for Dateline and the Real Housewives shows, reveals the identity of the famous actor at a Hollywood Oscars party that Doug mistook for a homeless person, reviews the Ba…

1
Erik Larson 1:34:23

1y ago1:34:23

1:34:23

Erik Larson: Manhattan (2 1/2 ounces Michter’s rye, 1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth, dash bitters, cherry, served up) Erik names the person he’s written about that he’d most like to be able to meet, talks about what he looks for in a subject for a new book, the stories behind finding the titles to his books so far, the conversations he had with his age…

1
Liz Truss 37:12

1y ago37:12

37:12

Former Prime Minister Liz Truss: Espresso Liz Truss discusses her preference for the emergence of independent journalism and death of traditional media in America as opposed to Britain where the BBC is still dominant, names her favorite few states in America, names the two places in Britain that every American should visit, talks about the stress o…

1
Admiral James Stavridis 1:05:58

1y ago1:05:58

1:05:58

Admiral James Stavridis: Negroni (1 ounce gin, 1 ounce sweet vermouth, 1 ounce Campari, garnish with orange peel) Admiral Stavridis names the two most terrifying moments of his military career, describes how naval warfare will look in fifty years (or less), the classified military report meant to predict the future that was most off, the Russel Cro…

1
Andrew Duplessie 39:02

1y ago39:02

39:02

Andrew Duplessie: Dark N’ Stormy (2 1/2 ounces Goslings rum with ginger beer over ice, 2 lime wedges) One of the most popular authors in the world on BookTok, Andrew discusses the ins-and-outs of publishing fiction in new media, as well as contrasts the experience with his debut TOO SCARED TO SLEEP, published by (traditional media) Harper Collins, …

1
Keith O’Brien 1:29:32

1y ago1:29:32

1:29:32

Keith O’Brien: Old Fashioned (cube of sugar, dash water, dash bitters, 2 1/2 ounces Knobel whiskey, garnish with cherry and orange peel) Author of the new biography of Pete Rose, CHARLIE HUSTLE, discusses the Ohtani baseball gambling scandal, why the partnerships between professional sports leagues and gambling services are fraught, how the charact…

1
James Ellroy 19:10

1y ago19:10

19:10

James Ellroy: coffee James offers an alternative introduction for the show that makes for an interesting contrast, reveals a sexual dalliance between his father and Rita Hayworth, gives honest feedback about the film LA CONFIDENTIAL, discusses his writing process and why he thinks ‘closure is BS’.By Doug Brunt, James Ellroy

1
Zibby Owens 36:58

1+ y ago36:58

36:58

Zibby Owens: Aperol Spritz (3 ounces Aperol, 3 ounces prosecco, 1 ounce club soda, garnish with orange slice) Zibby gives the origin story of her hit podcast MOMS DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ BOOKS, the mission of her publishing imprint that has already published more than a dozen books (several bestsellers!), the sneaky "writer's retreat" where she wro…

1
Edoardo Ballerini 50:54

1+ y ago50:54

50:54

Edoardo Ballerini: vodka martini, three olives Award-winning audiobook narrator and actor Edoardo discusses how he went from studying Latin at the Vatican to joining an acting troupe then making his NYC acting debut on LAW & ORDER, identifies which areas of the arts are most immediately under threat from artificial intelligence, tells how the audio…

1
Richard Haass 1:07:14

1+ y ago1:07:14

1:07:14

Richard Haass: dry martini (3 ounces gin, a few drops of dry vermouth, served up with 3 olives) Richard reveals for the first time a confidential memo regarding the war in Iraq that he hand-delivered to Secretary Powell, why he feels America is in a "uniquely dangerous" time in the world, the TV show that most accurately portrays the Situation Room…

1
Mike Rowe 1:57:36

1+ y ago1:57:36

1:57:36

Mike Rowe: Manhattan (2 1/2 ounces Knobel whiskey, 1 1/2 ounces sweet vermouth, bitters, Luxardo cherry) Author (and host) of THE WAY I HEARD IT Mike talks about being fired three times from QVC and hired twice to host The Daily Show for Comedy Central, his thoughts on Jon Stewart and the origins of fake news, his struggles with a childhood stammer…

1
Kashmir Hill 52:05

1+ y ago52:05

52:05

Kashmir Hill: gin & tonic New York Times technology reporter Kashmir Hills explains the incredible and horrifying implications of AI and facial recognition, the pair of eyeglasses developed by Meta that can instantly tell you EVERYTHING about a person just by glancing at them, what Oppenheimer and Heather Douglas meant by “technical sweetness”, how…

1
Dani Shapiro 1:12:44

1+ y ago1:12:44

1:12:44

Dani Shapiro: Mezcal Negroni (1 ounce mezcal, 1 ounce sweet vermouth, 1 ounce Campari, garnish with orange slice) Award-winning author Dani Shapiro discusses how the effort of her first books refined her future work and process so that in addition to focusing on the music of her writing she’s also focused on the meaning, explains that she had to sl…

1
Howard Blum 33:13

1+ y ago33:13

33:13

Howard Blum: Diet Coke Award-winning author and journalist Howard Blum discusses the latest on the Idaho murders where he has been leading the coverage, describes how he conducts different types of research for book subjects ranging from prior centuries to other books covering present day topics, his writing pieces with Graydon Carter’s media compa…

1
Brad Meltzer 54:32

1+ y ago54:32

54:32

Brad Meltzer: tequila Brad reveals what it takes to make him wear his underpants on the outside, the wildest forms of terror attack that he brainstormed with the CIA and FBI while a member of the Red Cell Unit, some hilarious insider stories of Barbara Bush, what’s underneath the White House, how he started his “I Am…” book series for kids, and how…

1
Alex Aster 50:03

1+ y ago50:03

50:03

Alex Aster: espresso martini (2 ounces vodka, 1/2 ounce Kahlua, 1 ounce espresso, garnish with 3 coffee beans, serve up) Alex discusses the oral tradition of storytelling in her family and her Colombian heritage, her dogged efforts to land a literary agent when she was 12-years old, how she skipped her college graduation day to land an agent and a …

1
Adam Plantinga 33:43

1+ y ago33:43

33:43

Adam Plantinga: Coffee, black Award-winning author and San Francisco cop Adam Plantinga talks about the differences between vacation problems (getting sunscreen on his daughters) and work problems (getting charged by a criminal wielding a butcher knife), the favorite and most influential books he’s read, how humor can be an important tool on the jo…

1
Best Of Lightning Round 54:56

1+ y ago54:56

54:56

Lightening Round: Some of the most thought provoking and entertaining responses to the Lightening Round questions from our Season 1 guests. Then Doug plays - free to listeners - the complete Prologue of THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF RUDOLF DIESEL, narrated by Scott Brick, courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audio.…

1
Gad Saad 1:01:42

1+ y ago1:01:42

1:01:42

Gad Saad: Bailey's on the rocks Professor Saad discusses the nuanced differences between fellow Canadian Jordan Peterson and himself, how he manages to remain a Happy Warrior in the face of toxicity and a workplace that has been compared to Gaza, how he teaches the art of storytelling even in the presentation of scientific material, the mental cond…

1
Gareth Russell 1:14:26

1+ y ago1:14:26

1:14:26

Gareth Russell: gin & Dubonnet (1 ounce gin, 2 ounces Dubinet, lemon wheel, topped with one over-sized ice cube) Gareth discusses the questionable claims in Omid Scobie's work regarding Harry, Meghan and the Royal Family, discusses a defense of the existence of the monarchy as posed by C.S. Lewis and others, reveals aspects of the monumental resear…

1
Doug's Holiday Book Picks 21:04

1+ y ago21:04

21:04

Doug's Holiday Book Picks: Egg Nog (fill a rocks glass with ice, add 2 ounces bourbon, fill with egg nog (the full-fat kind), stir then top with nutmeg) Doug picks 4 excellent books for December, then plays - free to listeners - the complete Prologue of THE MYSTERIOUS CASE OF RUDOLF DIESEL, narrated by Scott Brick, courtesy of Simon & Schuster Audi…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Dani Gregorie Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen