{"podcast":{"title":"Zero to Well-Read","slug":"zero-to-well-read-7458054","podcast_index_feed_id":7458054,"rss_url":"https://feeds.megaphone.fm/ARML5239917426","website_url":"https://bookriot.com/listen/","image_url":"https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/000d227e-6401-11f0-b195-8ba190ee0673/image/e3fee1181b821790fa7dee74f2a85215.jpg?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress","author":"Riot New Media Group, Inc.","episode_count":47,"summary":"Part book club, part English class, Zero to Well-Read is a fun and informative 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.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-07T20:19:16.227807+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/zero-to-well-read-7458054"},"episode":{"title":"Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri","slug":"interpreter-of-maladies-by-jhumpa-lahiri","published_at":"2026-04-28T10:15:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/zero-to-well-read-7458054/interpreter-of-maladies-by-jhumpa-lahiri","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/zero-to-well-read-7458054","url":"https://bookriot.com/listen/interpreter-of-maladies-by-jhumpa-lahiri/","audio_url":"https://traffic.megaphone.fm/ARML7257256215.mp3?updated=1777323280","summary":"How did a debut short story collection by an unknown writer become one of the most significant publishing successes of the twentieth century? Jeff and Rebecca are joined by literary historian and data scientist Dr. Laura McGrath for a conversation about Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies. They explore what makes Lahiri's stories so meaningful and memorable, chart the book's path from paperback original to Pulitzer Prize winner, and marvel at the word-of-mouth magic that a turned a book that began with the most modest of prospects into a bestseller with more than 15 million copies in print. You can find Laura's book Middlemen: Literary Agents and the Making of American Fiction wherever books are sold. 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. Use code THEBOOKS for 20% off at Cozy Earth. Go to quince.com/bookriot for free shipping and 365-day returns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices","meta_description":"How did a debut short story collection by an unknown writer become one of the most significant publishing successes of the twentieth century? Jeff and Reb…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":6821,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/zero-to-well-read-7458054/episodes/interpreter-of-maladies-by-jhumpa-lahiri/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/zero-to-well-read-7458054/interpreter-of-maladies-by-jhumpa-lahiri.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}