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.
Love the podcast? Want to suggest a topic? Share your feedback with us at openbook@openroadmedia.com.
Listen Now:
Current Episode
The North Star
Sanyu Dillon
President, Random House Publishing Group
Sanyu Dillon is President of the Random House Publishing Group and the first publisher ever inducted into the American Marketing Association’s Marketing Hall of Fame. In this episode, she discusses her career, the inside story about recent bestsellers like Project Hail Mary and Belle Burden’s Strangers, and what has—and hasn't—changed in how publishers market a book.
INTERVIEWED ON: July 15th, 2026
Strangers by Belle Burden
With unflinching honesty and profound grace, Belle Burden charts a path through heartbreak to show the power of a woman who refuses to give up on love.
Project Hail Mail by Andy Weir
A lone astronaut must save the earth from disaster in this “propulsive,” cinematic thriller full of suspense, humor, and fascinating science—now a major motion picture starring Ryan Gosling (Entertainment Weekly).
Maria, Maria by Jennifer Galvão
A man in exile; a young bride left behind; a mistress who becomes their go-between; a connection like no other—Jennifer Galvão’s debut is a masterfully crafted portrait of love in its most enduring and unlikely forms.
What Could Possibly Go Right? by Danny Meyer
Restaurateur, entrepreneur, and New York Times-bestselling author Danny Meyer reveals the secrets of his widely admired leadership philosophy and the tools he uses to build an energized, cohesive, and motivated culture.
Previous Episodes
Gridlock Sam, Killer Cars, and the Future of the City
Sam Schwartz
The First 100 Days
Greg Greeley
Nothing Random
Gayle Feldman
“How Did This Book Get Into My Hands”
Paul Yamazaki
Start with Curiosity
Perminder Mann
Every Book Deserves to be Heard
Bob Carrigan
Brave on Behalf of Books
Ruth Dickey
And God Created the Literary Agent
Michael Carlisle
A Book in the Mind of A Consumer
Brendan Curry
Hold The Door Open
Miwa Messer
What It’s Like to Be a Kid
Jon Anderson
Brick & Mortar Success in an Online World
Terry Finley
“This is my book. You can’t have it.”
Michael Jacobs
Books Change Lives
Dominique Raccah
Hot Desk
Laura and Colin Dickerman
Something Totally Different
Molly Stern
The Luckiest Publisher in the World
Arnaud Nourry
The Keystone
Judith Curr
Backstories: A Special First Anniversary Episode
“This Could Be the Best Book I’ve Ever Read”
Sally Kim
“A Book Bought in a Good Bookstore is a Better Book”
James Daunt
How to Sleep at Night
Elizabeth Harris
Stealing Crumbs from the Giant
Andy Hunter
Name as Destiny
Madeline McIntosh
Truly Global
Brian Murray
9,400 Miles
Amandeep Kochar
Placing Bets All the Time
Jon Yaged
Publishing for the Next 100 Years
Christie Henry
Living Above the Shop
David Shelley
he Jar
Simon Lipskar
he Mysterious Otto Penzler
Otto Penzler
The Price of Children
Maria Laurino
“I Bet They’ll Talk to Me”
Ted Conover
From Politics to Publishing
Allison Dobson
“I like the Way You Dance”
John Sargent
Speaking For Books
Lisa Lucas
Adventures of an Independent Publisher
Morgan Entrekin
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