Show Notes
Kristin Hannah is the bestselling author of more than 20 novels, including "The Nightingale," "The Four Winds" and "The Women," and has built her career around telling the often overlooked stories of women in history. In this conversation from September 2025, Hannah sits down with Jenna to reflect on the books that shaped her, the path that led her from practicing law to becoming a novelist and the deep research behind her historical fiction. Plus, she opens up about why "The Women" took more than 20 years to write and what continues to draw her to stories of resilience, sacrifice and womanhood.
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As a bonus for Open Book fans, we’re sharing the trailer for season 5 of Morrison Mysteries.
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Min Jin Lee sits down with Jenna Bush Hager to discuss her journey from lawyer to bestselling author, the rejection and self-doubt she faced along the way, and what kept her writing. Lee also shares how books became a refuge after immigrating to New York and the research behind her new novel, American Hagwon
Leigh Bardugo sits down with Jenna Bush Hager to talk about creativity, success and the challenges of protecting your voice in the age of social media. The author of “Shadow and Bone” and “Ninth House” reflects on finding her purpose, saying goodbye to characters she loves, the reality of adapting her books for Netflix and why artists need to step outside the algorithm to create something that truly surprises them.