The Open Book Podcast
with David Steinberger

A behind-the-scenes look at books and publishing

Join us for wide-ranging discussions with publishers, editors, authors, journalists, thinkers, executives, and other makers of culture, hosted by David Steinberger, CEO of Open Road Media and Chairman of the National Book Foundation.

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Truly Global

Brian Murray

President and CEO, HarperCollins Publishing

HarperCollins is a storied worldwide publisher with roots that go back more than 200 years, possessing a catalog of 200,000 titles from authors like Mark Twain, the Brontë sisters, J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Barbara Kingsolver. Brian Murray talks about the company’s legacy of navigating changes in culture, technology and law, becoming a truly global publisher, and navigating evolving AI technology while protecting intellectual property.

INTERVIEWED ON: January 13th, 2025

Books discussed:

Life by Pope Francis

For the first time, Pope Francis tells the story of his life as he looks back on the momentous world events that have changed history—from his earliest years during the outbreak of World War II in 1939 to the turmoil of today.

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

From the acclaimed author of The Poisonwood Bible and The Bean Trees, a brilliant novel that enthralls, compels, and captures the heart as it evokes a young hero's unforgettable journey to maturity.

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett

In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

For fans of A Man Called Ove, a charming, witty and compulsively readable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus.