Gays Reading

David Lauterstein, founder of iconic queer menswear brand, Nasty Pig, joins Jason to talk books--what he's reading now, and what went into writing Sodomy Gods, a love story for everyone, which he recently released as an audiobook. David Lauterstein is among the most influential forces in queer culture, celebrated as an unapologetic champion for sex-positivity since co-founding the iconic Nasty Pig fashion brand in1994. As its CEO, he has been honored for his trailblazing entrepreneurship, his philanthropic efforts supporting homeless queer youth, and by the White House for his decades of public health advocacy. A formally trained poet and house music producer, Lauterstein resides in New York City with his husband and Nasty Pig co-founder, Frederick Kearney. Sodomy Gods is his first book.

Jason is joined by National Book Award finalist Deesha Philyaw to discuss her debut novel, The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman. Deesha shares why she ghosted a hookup, the talent she'd perform if she were in a pageant, why queerness plays such a big role in her books, and much more.Deesha Philyaw’s debut short story collection, The Secret Lives of Church Ladies, won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, the Story Prize, the LA Times Book Prize: The Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction and was a finalist for the National Book Award for Fiction. Deesha is a Kimbilio Fiction Fellow, a Baldwin for the Arts Fellow, a United States Artists Fellow, and co-host of two podcasts, Ursa Short Fiction (with Dawnie Walton) and Reckon True Stories (with Kiese Laymon). She is currently at work developing TV shows based on her short fiction.

Meg Mason (Sorrow and Bliss) joins Jason to talk about her new novel, Sophie, Standing There, a Reese's Book Club pick, and the books she's been reading between stops on her worldwide book tour.Meg Mason is the author of Sorrow and Bliss, which became an international bestseller after it was first published in Australia. Winner of the British Book Industry Book of the Year, and shortlisted for the Women’s Prize, it has since been translated into more than 30 languages. Her first career was in journalism, beginning at the Times of London, later writing for Vogue, Elle, GQ, Sunday Style, and The New Yorker’s Daily Shouts and Murmurs. Born in New Zealand, she lives in Sydney with her husband and two daughters.

Jason talks with author Min Jin Lee (Pachinko) about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, her experience taking a class with The Artist's Way author Julia Cameron, why she's quick to curse, her new novel American Hagwon, and everything in between.Min Jin Lee is the author of the novels Free Food for Millionaires and Pachinko, a finalist for the National Book Award, runner-up for the Dayton Literary Peace Prize, and a New York Times “100 Best Books of the Century.” She serves as the New York State Author Laureate from 2025 through 2027. She is the 2024 recipient of The Fitzgerald Prize for Literary Excellence. Lee has received the Manhae Grand Prize for Literature, the Bucheon Diaspora Literary Award, and the Samsung Happiness for Tomorrow Award for Creativity from South Korea. She is the recipient of fellowships in Fiction from the Guggenheim Foundation, the Harvard Radcliffe Institute, and the New York Foundation for the Arts. Lee is an inductee of the New York Foundation for the Arts Hall of Fame and the New York State Writers Hall of Fame. She lives in Harlem with her family.

Author Meg Howrey (They're Going to Love You) communed with her bookshelves to identify books that shaped her as a writer. She's self-taught, no MFA, no workshops, just a reader. Meg also talks about her latest novel, Body Language.Meg Howrey is the author of the novels Blind Sight, The Cranes Dance, The Wanderers, and most recently, They’re Going to Love You, which was a New York Times Editor’s Choice, and a New Yorker Best Book of 2022. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Granta, Harvard Review, Vogue, and the Los Angeles Review of Books. A former professional dancer, she currently lives in Los Angeles.

Jason talks to author Lucy Foley (The Guest List) about her experience working with the Agatha Christie estate to create a new Miss Marple book, Murder at the Grand Alpine Hotel. They talk about what makes a Foley Christie book, the things one can do on a ski vacation, her research trip to St. Moritz, and much more.  Lucy Foley studied English literature at Durham University and University College London and worked for several years as a fiction editor in the publishing industry. She is the author of five novels including The Paris Apartment, The Guest List, The Hunting Party, and The Midnight Feast. She lives in London. For updates about the book and tour, follow Lucy on social media at @lucyfoleyauthor.

Molecular biologist turned award-winning chef, food writer, photographer, and bestselling cookbook author Nik Sharma shares what he's been reading lately and talks about his forthcoming cookbook, Fundamentals of Flavor. Nik Sharma is the bestselling author of cookbooks celebrated for blending culinary science with deeply personal storytelling: Season, The Flavor Equation, and Veg-Table. A former molecular biologist, Sharma brings a unique lens to the kitchen, where flavor is both a feeling and a formula. He serves as Editor in Residence at America's Test Kitchen, where he hosts the YouTube show Flavor Forward with Nik Sharma, is a co-host of the show In the Test Kitchen on Netflix, and is a cast member on the upcoming America’s Test Kitchen show on PBS. Sharma is the creator of the award-winning blog Nik Sharma Cooks (formerly A Brown Table), and his writing and photography have been featured in The San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Wall Street Journal, among others. He lives in Los Angeles, California, where he's always dreaming up his next recipe.

Jason is joined by author Emily St. John Mandel to talk about her new novel, Exit Party. They share how the end of the world is going for each of them, the state of knowing and not knowing something, Emily's evolution of embracing her bisexuality in writing this new novel, among other things. EMILY ST. JOHN MANDEL is the author of six novels, most recently Sea of Tranquility, which has been translated into 25 languages and was selected by President Barack Obama as one of his favorite books of 2022. Her previous novels include The Glass Hotel, which was also on Obama’s list, was shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize, and has been translated into 26 languages; and Station Eleven, which was a finalist for a National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award, won the 2015 Arthur C. Clarke Award among other honors, has been translated into 36 languages, and aired as a limited series on HBO Max. She lives in New York City and Los Angeles.

The internet's favorite forager, Alexis Nikole Nelson aka Black Forager, talks to Jason about what's she's been reading and shares insights about her new book, Happy Snacking, Don't Die!Alexis Nikole Nelson, best known to most people as Black Forager, is a social media creator, vegan, urban forager, and outdoor educator who has amassed millions of followers. Her mother first showed her how to forage at the age of five by introducing her to onion grass. Now Alexis posts videos of her foraging finds in a playful, humorous way, whether she is exploring a nearby park or searching in her neighbor’s front yard, proving that anyone can try their hand at foraging. Alexis also takes these plants home with her to use in her creative vegan cooking. Her posts often address topics such as the indigenous roots of foraging in America, the history of American foraging laws, and sustainable ways for her viewers to include wild plants and mushrooms in their diets. Alexis has been featured in a broad range of media from The New York Times to Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and she was named a Time100 Creator in 2025. Alexis lives in Columbus, Ohio. Follow her on X, Instagram, and YouTube @BlackForager.