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NPR's favorite books of the year

Ways To Subscribe
River to River, hosted by Ben Kieffer

With all of the great new books out there, it can be difficult to know where to start. Luckily the NPR books team has us covered with the extensive Books We Love tool. NPR’s Arts Desk Reporter and Book of the Day podcast host Andrew Limbong joins IPR producer Caitlin Troutman to discuss some of the arts team's favorite books of the year.

Then we revisit a conversation from earlier this year. Host Ben Kieffer is joined by an Iowan who lived many years without shelter. And a new survey looks at the lived experiences of people in Polk County who live unsheltered — people who live on the streets or in places not intended for human habitation. It also sheds light on the barriers people face to obtain housing.

A portion of this episode was originally produced in February 2023.

Guests:

  • Andrew Limbong, NPR’s Arts Desk Reporter and Book of the Day podcast host
  • Anthony Cruise, employee, Lighthouse Center
  • Elizabeth Talbert, assistant professor of sociology, Drake University
  • Angie Arthur, executive director, Homeward Iowa
  • J'nae Peterman, director of housing services, Waypoint
Ben Kieffer is the host of IPR's River to River
Caitlin Troutman is a talk show producer for Iowa Public Radio. She holds a bachelor's degree from William Jewell College. Since 2022, Troutman has worked with IPR's talk team to bring news and features to IPR's listening audience.
Katherine Perkins is IPR's Executive Producer of Talk Shows and Program Director for News/Talk. Since 2014, Perkins has managed the broadcast schedule and sound of the news and information service of Iowa Public Radio, as well as has directed the long-term planning and oversight for IPR's talk shows, Talk of Iowa and River to River. Perkins has a masters degree from Sangamon State University (now the University of Illinois – Springfield).