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.

Listen Now:

The Luckiest Publisher in the World

Arnaud Nourry

Chairman and CEO, Les Nouveaux Éditeurs

As former Chairman and CEO of Hachette, Arnaud offers a candid look inside a major international publisher. Under his leadership, Hachette grew from a French-centric company to a global player, publishing authors like Barack Obama, Stephanie Meyer, Malcolm Gladwell, James Patterson, and Rick Riordan. His new venture, Les Nouveaux Éditeurs, is a nimble and editor-driven reimagining of book publishing.

INTERVIEWED ON: May 21st, 2025

Books discussed:

Freedom at Midnight by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre

In this new edition of their superb reconstruction of events at the time, Collins and Lapierre recount the eclipse of the fabled British Raj and examine the roles enacted by, among others, Mahatma Gandhi, Lord Mountbatten, Nehru and Jinnah in its violent transformation into the new India and Pakistan.

The Origin of the Species by Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin’s classic that exploded into public controversy, revolutionized the course of science, and continues to transform our views of the world.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Fall in love with the addictive, suspenseful love story between and teenage girl and a vampire that redefined romance for a generation, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephenie Meyer.