Rose Friedman, a veteran NPR editor and reporter known for her work on the network’s cultural coverage and her role in co-creating the “Books We Love” reading guide, died of cancer at her New York City home on September 17. She was 38.

Friedman’s 15-year career at NPR began in 2010 when she joined as an editorial assistant in NPR Books. She eventually transitioned to editing and reporting for the network's Society & Culture desk. She played a significant role in launching NPR’s Book Concierge, now known as “Books We Love,” a yearly project that curates staff and critic recommendations into a final reading guide.

Novelist Meg Wolitzer, who collaborated with Friedman on NPR reviews, described her as “voracious,” “a true enthusiast,” and a “gifted, delightful, brilliant, deeply kind person.” Friedman's editorial work included overseeing book coverage, such as the regular feature “This Week’s Must Read,” and writing tributes to literary figures like Herman Wouk and publisher Sonny Mehta.

Colleagues remembered Friedman for her commitment to journalistic rigor, often prioritizing factual accuracy over sensationalism. “She would care more about ‘Was this true?’ or as holistic as we could get than, ‘Is it buzzy?'” former NPR supervising editor Theo Balcomb told NPR. “She had a strong sense of purpose.”

Friedman was also a dedicated advocate for labor issues within the newsroom. She became actively involved in the SAG-AFTRA union and, alongside correspondent Tom Dreisbach, was instrumental in pushing NPR to expand its paid parental leave policy. Dreisbach recalled Friedman’s forward-thinking approach, stating, “Rose’s thought was, ‘let’s go big.'”

In 2020, Friedman served as NPR’s lead reporter covering the sexual assault trial of former movie executive Harvey Weinstein, a role that deeply affected her. Her work on NPR's #MeToo coverage contributed to her sharing second place in the 2018 National Headliner Awards with Elizabeth Blair and Ellen Silva for the article “Women Are Speaking Up About Harassment And Abuse, But Why Now?”

Toward the end of her career, Friedman took on a leadership role in NPR’s America 250 project.

Born in Newton, Massachusetts, Friedman pursued her interest in labor history at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her research on worker solidarity in Minnesota’s Iron Range earned her the Barbara Wertheimer Prize in Labor History.

Friedman is survived by her partner and their two children, her parents Carolyn and Jerry Friedman, and her sisters, Sophie and Nina.