Backlisted

Andy Miller and John Mitchinson have been rescuing books from obscurity since 2015, and over 260 episodes later, Backlisted remains one of the most rewarding literary podcasts out there. Each biweekly episode runs about an hour and focuses on a single book that deserves more attention than it currently gets -- think forgotten mid-century novels, overlooked short story collections, and works by authors who fell out of fashion decades ago. The format is deceptively simple. Andy and John invite a guest (often a writer, critic, or publisher) to champion a particular title, and the conversation unfolds naturally from there. What makes the show genuinely special is the chemistry between the two hosts. Andy brings a slightly more irreverent energy while John, co-founder of Unbound publishing, offers deep industry knowledge. They disagree openly, crack jokes, and occasionally go off on tangents that somehow always circle back to something illuminating about literature. Recent episodes have covered C.S. Lewis, William Golding, Iris Murdoch, and Leonora Carrington -- a range that gives you a sense of their taste. They are not snobs about it, though. The show treats a pulpy thriller from the 1930s with the same curiosity it gives a Booker winner. With a 4.7 rating from over 570 reviews on Apple Podcasts, the audience clearly appreciates that approach. If your TBR pile needs some genuinely unexpected additions, Backlisted will keep you supplied for years.