Only one day after Jen Hatmaker discovered her husband of 26 years was having an affair, her intuition lead her to dissolution, not restoration.

In an early chapter of hew new memoir, Hatmaker writes: “What instinct drove me to an attorney instead of back to a marriage therapist? I was acting purely on intuition — which I only figured out later is the most trustworthy character in the play.”

Learning to listen to and trust her “inner knowing” is just one powerful lesson Hatmaker learned in the crucible. In “Awake,” she also talks about her split from the evangelical Christian church that first gave her a platform, her realigned views on sexuality and gender norms and how she was forced to learn to grieve.

At it’s core, “Awake” is a midlife memoir about how to reinvent and reconnect to yourself when the world burns down around you.

Big Books and Bold Ideas host Kerri Miller interviews a lot of authors over the course of a year. But some conversations stand out for being especially fascinating, delightfully fun or unexpectedly candid.

Last week, we unveiled three of Miller’s top five favorites from 2025. This week, the final two — plus one surprise.

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  MPR News staff picks The 43 best books MPR News staff read in 2025
  
  
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  From NPR Hunker down with these 13 mysteries and thrillers from 2025
  
  
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  From U.S. libraries Genre fiction and female authors top most-borrowed lists in 2025
  
  
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If you want to hear the full episodes, you can find them here:

• Misty Copeland at Talking Volumes
• Catherine Newman
• Kate DiCamillo

Big Books and Bold Ideas is produced by Kelly Gordon and engineered by Cliff Bentley. Here’s to more great books and more fascinating interviews in 2026.

Big Books and Bold Ideas host Kerri Miller interviews a lot of authors over the course of a year. But some conversations stand out for being especially fascinating, delightfully fun or unexpectedly candid.

So this week and next, Miller and producer Kelly Gordon share their favorite, most surprising shows from the last 12 months.

This week’s conversations include authors:

• Sarah Hoover
• Charles Bock
• Fabienne Josaphat

Stay tuned for the final two favorites of 2025 — and a bonus surprise — next week.