Podcast Episodes
Back to Search
In 'Long Island,' one woman returns to Ireland after discovering her husband's affair
At the beginning of Long Island, an Irish-American woman named Eilis opens the front door of her New York home and is greeted by news of her husband's affair. The other woman is pregnant – and Eilis …
Published on 8 months, 2 weeks ago
Christine Wenc's 'Funny Because It's True' calls 'The Onion' "the original fake news"
The satirical news magazine The Onion has been putting out ironic and often absurd headlines for more than 40 years. Christine Wenc was part of the paper's original staff, dating back to its origins …
Published on 8 months, 3 weeks ago
John Himmelman, Reginald Dwayne Betts take a populist approach to poetry in new books
The authors of two new poetry collections aspire to reach broad audiences with their work. First, John Himmelman says he wanted to tell stories with as few words as possible. The Boy Who Lived in a S…
Published on 8 months, 3 weeks ago
In 'Beartooth,' brothers embark on an illicit journey into Yellowstone National Park
In Callan Wink's new novel Beartooth, two brothers live at the edge of Yellowstone National Park. Their father has recently died of cancer, leaving behind unpaid medical bills and taxes. Desperate to…
Published on 8 months, 3 weeks ago
Chuck Schumer's 'Antisemitism in America' warns of a resurgence in antisemitic views
Sen. Chuck Schumer received major backlash from his party after supporting a Republican spending bill earlier this month – and some Democrats have called for him to resign from his position as minori…
Published on 8 months, 3 weeks ago
Allison Epstein's 'Fagin the Thief' gives a Charles Dickens character a second chance
Author Allison Epstein says when she read Oliver Twist, she found Charles Dickens' portrayal of Fagin, the novel's central scoundrel, to be stereotypical and antisemitic. But there was also something…
Published on 8 months, 3 weeks ago
A former Meta executive characterizes company leadership as "careless" in new memoir
Sarah Wynn-Williams, a former Meta executive, is now barred from discussing her criticism of the company. But before Meta gained an injunction against their former employee, she spoke with NPR's Stev…
Published on 8 months, 3 weeks ago
In two noir novels, crime lurks beneath small town life in Norway and New England
In their new noir novels, authors Joseph Finder and Jo Nesbø choose small towns as the settings for dark plotlines. First, Finder's The Oligarch's Daughter follows a man named Paul who has built a ne…
Published on 9 months ago
A new biography tells the story of a South Asian Hollywood star who passed as white
In 1936, Merle Oberon became the first Asian woman–and person of color–to receive an Oscar nomination for best actress. She was nominated for her role in The Dark Angel and later starred in films lik…
Published on 9 months ago
'I'm That Girl' follows gymnast Jordan Chiles' road to the Olympics
In a new memoir, Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles describes moments of deep uncertainty in her storied career. For example, there was a time in her mid-teens when she considered quitting the sport. But …
Published on 9 months ago