Zero to Well-Read

Book Riot
  • 4.3 (34)
  • BOOKS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Part book club, part English class, Zero to Well-Read is a fun and irreverent guide to the books people talk about like everyone has read them. Each week, hosts Jeff O'Neal and Rebecca Schinsky take on a new title, from classics you should have read in high school to prize winners, cult favorites to modern hits, and tell you everything you need to know: the plot, what it feels like to read, why it matters, and the key takeaways you can use at your next dinner party.

  1. The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

    1 DAY AGO

    The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

    Jeff and Rebecca dig into Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, the book that won him both the Pulitzer and the Nobel, and that he called the best writing he would ever do. They explore what Hemingway's iceberg theory actually means in practice, the way his economy of language conveys deep feeling, and his enduring impact on contemporary style. 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. Use code THEBOOKS for 20% off at Cozy Earth. Go to quince.com/bookriot for free shipping and 365-day returns. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1hr 25min
  2. Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

    31 MAR

    Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare

    Jeff and Rebecca take on one of Shakespeare's best–and best-known–comedies, Much Ado About Nothing. They talk about its enduring appeal, the "merry war" of banter that continues to inspire and influence rom-com writing, and the classic novels that wouldn't exist if Shakespeare had never written Benedick and Beatrice. 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. Use code THEBOOKS for 20% off at Cozy Earth. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1hr 17min
  3. How to Hone Your Reading Skills, What Makes a Good Reading Goal, and More from the Mailbag

    24 MAR

    How to Hone Your Reading Skills, What Makes a Good Reading Goal, and More from the Mailbag

    How can you sharpen your reading skills and learn to evaluate books more deeply? When is it optimizing to quit a book you're bored of, and when is it worth the slog? Reading goals: good or no? Jeff and Rebecca dip into the mailbag to answer listener questions and respond to feedback. 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. Use code THEBOOKS for 20% off at Cozy Earth. This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1hr 14min
  4. Forever... by Judy Blume

    17 MAR

    Forever... by Judy Blume

    You never forget your first. Rebecca and Jeff revisit Judy Blume's classic young adult novel about first love, losing your virginity, and the thrills and fears of growing up. They discuss what made Forever... radical in 1975 and why it's still being banned and challenged today, what's timeless and what hasn't aged so well, and why every teenager should read a book like this. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1hr 17min
  5. The Book ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER is Based On

    10 MAR

    The Book ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER is Based On

    As the Academy Awards approach, Jeff and Rebecca discuss Vineland by Thomas Pynchon, the book that inspired Best Picture frontrunner One Battle After Another. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1hr 12min
  6. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

    3 MAR

    Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

    Jeff and Rebecca strap in for a trip to outer space as they revisit Andy Weir's space thriller Project Hail Mary in advance of the upcoming adaptation. They talk about what makes this a singularly fun reading experience, Weir's special ability to blend hard science with humor and humanity, and why we need more interstellar bromances. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1hr 23min
  7. 1984 by George Orwell

    24 FEB

    1984 by George Orwell

    Is 1984 the most influential novel of the 20th century? Jeff and Rebecca go back to the future to explore the landmark dystopian novel that gave us Big Brother, doublethink, the memory hole, and 2 + 2 = 5. They dig into Orwell’s vision of totalitarian power, the relationship between language and thought, asking not just why 1984 endures, but what it actually gets right (and wrong) about how control works. 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1hr 30min
  8. The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

    17 FEB

    The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

    Rebecca and Jeff are joined by Book Riot's director of content Sharifah Williams for a conversation about Isabel Wilkerson's groundbreaking oral history of the Great Migration, The Warmth of Other Suns. They discuss Wilkerson's singular blend of journalism, history, and storytelling; the magic of making a serious work of nonfiction read like fiction; and why this just might be the best nonfiction book of the century so far. 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 Join the Zero to Well-Read challenge on Storygraph 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1hr 40min
See All (33)

Trailer

Hosts & Guests

4.3
out of 5
34 Ratings

About

Part book club, part English class, Zero to Well-Read is a fun and irreverent guide to the books people talk about like everyone has read them. Each week, hosts Jeff O'Neal and Rebecca Schinsky take on a new title, from classics you should have read in high school to prize winners, cult favorites to modern hits, and tell you everything you need to know: the plot, what it feels like to read, why it matters, and the key takeaways you can use at your next dinner party.

Information

  • Creator
    Book Riot
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    33
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Riot New Media Group, Inc. 2025
  • Show Website
    Zero to Well-Read

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