Open Book
Episode 6: Sloane Crosley
July 16, 2025
Author Sloane Crosley (Grief Is for People) confesses the origin of her aversion to audiobooks, plus tells us which adaptations are better than their literary source material and reveals the first adult book that made her bawl her eyes out.
Show Notes
Sloane Crosley is the author of essay collections How Did You Get This Number and I Was Told There's Be Cake. Her most recent book is a memoir, Grief Is for People.
Sloane and Elena discuss the following:
Some of Sloane’s favorite authors to read, including Emily St. John Mandel (Station Eleven), Lauren Groff (The Vaster Wilds), Henry Green (Loving), and even Lee Child (Killing Floor: Jack Reacher 1)
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf (the author Sloane read the most while writing Grief Is for People)
The Zone of Interest by Martin Amis (but Sloane says the movie is better than the book!)
Books that make Sloane cry, including The Chosen by Chaim Potok and short story A Home At The End of the World by Michael Cunningham
Elena agrees, then adds the audiobook version of Speciman Days by Michael Cunningham to the cry-list
The Woman In Me audiobook by Britney Spears, narrated by Michelle Williams
Author Zadie Smith (Feel Free)
See a comprehensive list of books referenced on Open Book at powells.com/list/open-book-live-wire.
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Elena Passarello: Hi there, I'm writer Elena Passarello and this is Open Book, a literary podcast from Live Wire Radio brought to you by Powell's Books where we talk to writers about their reading habits. When I'm not having fun being Live Wire's announcer, writing is my job. I'm the author of two books and I'm currently in a wrestling match with my third project and yes, it is threatening to body slam me right now. I also teach writing here in Oregon. And I'm on the board of an international conference that meets every few years to argue about nonfiction. All this is to say that books are, without exaggeration, my whole life. When I work out, I don't even use dumbbells for my bicep curls. I use Russian novels. This week on Open Book, I'm talking to writer Sloane Crosley. She's the author of the novels Cult Classic and The Clasp, but she's also known for her humorous essays, which have been published in three collections, including I was told there'd be cake. And how'd you get this number? I sat down with Sloane when Open Book was in its pilot phase back in 2024. So shout out to Sloane for being our test subject. At the time of our conversation, Sloane was promoting her book, Grief Is for People, which is an awesome memoir where she explores loss and grief after the burglary of her apartment and the death of a close friend. In our conversation we talk about giving yourself permission to stop reading a book that you're just not that into. We talk about writers ranging from Virginia Woolf to Lee Child, and we also discuss that rare occasion when a film adaptation is actually better than the original book. Have a listen. This is Sloane Crosley on Open Book. I'm so excited to be talking to you.
Sloane Crosley: Laughing already. I am so excited to be talking to you, too, as well. Thank you for having me.
Elena Passarello: Oh, yeah. Here's what I really want to know. How would you describe yourself as a reader? Are you a regimented reader? Are you an emotional reader? How would you describe yourself?
Sloane Crosley: Oh, wow. Definitely craving-based. I don't do things because I think I should. I've learned finally to quit books. I used to pride myself on this when I was in my early 20s, that I'd never walked out of a movie and I'd ever left a book unfinished. And I don't know where I got that as a source of pride. So I do that, but I'm pretty regular because I do a lot of book reviewing. And you know, I worked in publicity for so long in book So I'm sort of used to just chain-smoking them.
Elena Passarello: Is there a time of day or is it because it's your job, you're kind of doing it all day long?
Sloane Crosley: All day long. Every once in a while, the only thing that is a sort of marker of difference is if I wake up and go back to a book. That is super rare. You know, the second your eyes meet consciousness, that you have to know what happens. That's pretty rare.
Elena Passarello: That's how you know a book is good.
Sloane Crosley: I mean, but if that was the only measurement, there would be two books. [Elena: That's right.] I don't even know what they are, but you know what I mean.
Elena Passarello: Well, in general, what kind of books do you find yourself looking for if you want to do something non-professional, something comfortable?
Sloane Crosley: I feel weird naming the authors, because it's going to make them sound like guilty pleasures, but they're actually quite serious authors. I love Emily St. John Mandel, I love Lauren Groff. I don't have a thing where I secretly read romance or mystery, although I edited, that's a hard word to say for what it means and what I do. I edited an anthology that had Lee Child in it, and so I got kind of addicted to his books, and they're comfort food.
Elena Passarello: Does your reading change when you're in the throes of a writing project?
Sloane Crosley: Yes, I tend to do, I sort of go against the grain. So if I'm working on non-fictional read fiction and vice versa.
Elena Passarello: Do you remember what you read when you were putting together Grief Is for People?
Sloane Crosley: Wow, what did I read? Oh, yeah. No, I read basically all of Virginia Woolf, which is not exactly going against the grain considering the fact that the book is about the suicide of my close friend. So I don't know. But I thought, you know, to the lighthouse, a romp. [Elena: Yeah, why not?] Let's do it, yeah.
Elena Passarello: Well, your book, you handle it with, like, a kind of a humor and a levity, so it's interesting the Woolf is sort of not, she's not known for...
Sloane Crosley: That's it. I think that's it, yeah. I don't read... But I don't... If you ask other authors this question too, I'm like, you should have other people answer these questions. But, you know, if you ask David Sedaris what he's reading nine times out of ten, it's either about taxidermy or like the Holocaust. It's just the farthest thing you could possibly think from sort of antics and etiquette and cute little stories.
Elena Passarello: You want to exercise a muscle that isn't the muscle that you're kind of showing up for every day as a writer.
Sloane Crosley: Well, you also don't want to copy people. You know, you want to find that line between inspiration and just... you know, copying people.
Elena Passarello: Speaking of copying, well, this isn't really copying, but adapting. Is there a film or a television adaptation of a book that you think was really well done?
Sloane Crosley: Oh, I got so excited because I thought you were going to ask me if one of my books was being adapted.
Elena Passarello: Yeah, no, I'm telling you now. I don't know if you know this, but Greta Gerwig is very interested.
Sloane Crosley: Is she? Oh wonderful. Good news. Is there an adaptation? I just saw Zone of Interest, which is only because Martin Amis, may he rest in peace, is better than the book.
Elena Passarello: You would only say that now that we know.
Sloane Crosley: Only now that he's dead and not listening to this podcast, which we all know he would do, nonstop. It's one of those things where he would open his eyes in the morning and turn on the podcast. I mean, that's so fresh in my head because I just saw it a couple of weeks ago and it was just, I thought it was, yeah, everything that, it's unfortunate that we've already wasted all the words, the words like haunting and beautiful on so many things that aren't really that haunting and don't stick with you and are just sort of pretty. Yeah. But this really is those things.
Elena Passarello: Yeah, like, you are haunted by the...
Sloane Crosley: I was haunted. I couldn't stop thinking.
Elena Passarello: And that's the highest praise I think you can give is when an adaptation is actually better than the book, Godfather.
Sloane Crosley: Or just, I mean, actually, Station Eleven. I thought the adaptation of that was good.
Elena Passarello: Station Eleven was spectacular. I feel like I got a little swallowed and oh my god.
Sloane Crosley: The other day there's a scene, for those of you who have not read it, I won't spoil it, but there's sort of a reunion between two characters, and it's pretty pivotal. And I intentionally watched it the other night to make myself cry. [Elena: Oh, good.] I'm like, you talk about what I'm in the mood for. I'm just in the mood to make myself cry, so I did that.
Elena Passarello: Are there books that you read that will make you cry?
Sloane Crosley: Yes. They're really surprising. I remember the first book. The first adult book that ever made me cry was The Chosen by, I'm going to go ahead and really put my back into this, by Chaim Potok. It made me ball my eyes out. It's about two friends. And it's just in this tiny tight-knit community in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and this sort of Zionist and anti-Zionist sort of butting heads, and these two boys that are friends, and it has this sort of Romeo and Juliet quality, and it's beautiful. But I don't remember what about that book really made me try. I will say... There's a short story that became a home at the end of the world, which is White Angel by Michael Cunningham. And the last line of that story, I'm not even going to say now, because one must compose oneself. Right? One's face, that one does not want to shed tears on top of. All I would have to do is see the last line of that.
Elena Passarello: I feel that way about a Michael Cunningham novella, the first one in Specimen Days, the one that takes place in Walt Whitman's New York, and I listened to the audio book.
Sloane Crosley: He could stick a landing, that guy.
Elena Passarello: Yeah, he's like a, I don't know who a gymnast, the only gymnast I can think is that one who barely stuck the landing because her foot was broken. Oh yeah, Simone Bile. Yeah, yeah. He's like Simone Biles. Oh, I listened to Specimen Days, I listen to Alan, Alan Cumming. [Sloane: Yes, that one.] Perfectly read. [Sloane: Yes.] What's your audiobook diet like?
Sloane Crosley: Oh, my audiobook diet is nil. I just listened to my first. So I have recorded five out of six of my books. So, I just finished recording Grief is for People, which, you know, good for them. They got my voice cracking a few times, I'm sure. Sure, that'll be good. But I can, yeah, I did condition out, but I can't take it. I listened to very few audiobooks. I just bought my first one. And I want you to know that during the pandemic, I also read most of Henry Green, when I say... It was the Britney Spears audio book. I wanted to hear Michelle Williams. [Elena: Oh yeah.] Kudos to her acting, but also kudos to whatever voice level she found where it was her, but it was that sort of baby voice Britney thing. And I can't believe she kept it up at this even tone. It was amazing.
Elena Passarello: It was perfect casting. I know they just... [Sloane: Did you listen to it?] Yeah. [Sloane: Yeah, you did.] I know, they just gave Oscars for casting. You know, casting directors are going to get Oscars now. But when are they going to give casting audio Oscars?
Sloane Crosley: They give audio books, so I've been nominated for a couple of, not Grammys, but like Audis or what have you. Just to clarify, just I don't have the Tony going yet. But I feel like, yeah, I'll never beat like Jimmy Carter. [Elena: No, he's got him.] They give it to the presidents or like Obama.
Elena Passarello: Or Hillary Clinton.
Sloane Crosley: Yeah, no it's true. No, a distinctive voice doesn't mean you read good.
Elena Passarello: Yeah, do you think that's why you don't listen to audiobooks that much, because you have kind of high standards having...
Sloane Crosley: I think it's cause I don't leave the house that much. I do. I think that it's like audiobooks are for people who drive around and jog. And I'm like, well, I don't do either of those things. This is a genuine answer.
Elena Passarello: So your life before you started writing full-time involved book publicity, is that the right? [Sloane: Yes, that's the term.] What is it like to transition into being a writer, having been somebody who represented writers for so long? Is there a switch you have to turn off?
Sloane Crosley: Yeah, it's the people-pleasy switch. It's not the switch you think it is. It's like a little more something that drives, if I may be so earnest, the heart, the core of the work, which is playing to a crowd, trying to figure out what people would like. Now, at the same time, you don't have to be a book publicist or have been one to not want to alienate your reader. I think there's no shame in that. And I think people who go out of their way to do that are not necessarily, I'm like, you're not Nabokov. Nabokow? Either way, you are neither of them. Yeah, that desire for people to like you is sort of amplified by the job and you have to unwind it.
Elena Passarello: Okay, so Grief is for People is a memoir. I don't know if you knew that. FYI. [Sloane: Sort of not, but yes.] What memoir? And you were talking about Britney Spears' memoir. [Sloane: Yes.] What memoir has not been written yet that you would rush to read?
Sloane Crosley: Oh, wow. Zadie Smith. [Elena: Hmm. How come?] She writes, she's dipped her toe quite successfully. You know, her toe dipping is everyone else's diving. You know, it's just one award into narrative nonfiction, into essays, both after the pandemic and feel free. And so you get her viewpoint, you know, a slightly closer viewpoint because it's her talking about You know, the world, the difference between joy and motherhood and all the things she writes about. But it's still slightly removed. It's still almost researcher based. And I would like to see more narrative from her.
Elena Passarello: And also, didn't she train as a jazz singer and just kind of abandoned it to be a writer? Like...
Sloane Crosley: She's an incredibly, incredibly talented singer.
Elena Passarello: I bet there's some other like a pilot's license.
Sloane Crosley: That's like some card tricks. Watch your wallet around her.
Elena Passarello: Yeah well yeah she's a sharp that's what I believe well this was great.
Sloane Crosley: Thank you so much.
Elena Passarello: Yeah my pleasure and congratulations on the book.
Sloane Crosley: Awe thank you.
Elena Passarello: That was Sloane Crosley out of Open Book. You can order Sloane's memoir, Grief Is for People at powells.com. Thanks for listening to Open Book, I'm Elena Passarello, your host. Our executive producer is Laura Hadden and our producer and editor is Melanie Sevcenko. Eben Hoffer is our technical director, Haziq Bin Ahmad Farid is our mixer, A Walker Spring composed our theme song and Ashley Park is our social media marketer. A big thanks to the entire staff at Live Wire Radio, the fine folks at PRX, and of course, Powell's Books for sponsoring this podcast.
