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New music books take on Paul Simon's 'Graceland' and the history of music and prison
In today’s episode, we chat about two new music histories. First, 1986’s Graceland is considered Paul Simon's signature album. It introduced South Af…
4 weeks ago
New book evaluates President Biden's legacy as midterm elections approach
As midterm elections approach, former President Joe Biden's legacy still plays a big role in the Democratic Party. Princeton historian Julian Zelizer…
4 weeks, 1 day ago
'Astronaut!' is a coming-of-age story set against the fall of the Iron Curtain
It’s 1989 in Romania and the country is living under a totalitarian regime. In the new novel Astronaut!, an 8-year-old girl craves bright colors amon…
1 month ago
'How We Disappear' is a Stanford historian's take on our personal archives
Thomas Mullaney is a historian at Stanford University. After his father died, Mullaney began to think about the archive he left behind: papers, docum…
1 month ago
In 'Man Overboard!,' Kathleen Rooney approaches a life-or-death story with humor
While on a cruise, a former college swimmer finds himself in the water, adrift alone, swimming for his life. But he isn’t sure how he got there. In M…
1 month ago
Remembering Dolly Parton through her writing for children and adults
Over the past week, Dolly Parton has been remembered for her music, her star power, her advocacy and her philanthropic contributions. But she was als…
1 month ago
Chang-Rae Lee on whether his new novel 'A Tender Age' is autobiographical
Chang-Rae Lee’s new novel is filled with some of his own memories, like worrying about being picked last for dodgeball and sizing up his fellow Asian…
1 month ago
'New York Times' obituarist Sam Roberts says he writes about life – not death
Sam Roberts says when people find out what he does for work, they tend to shrink away. Roberts is a veteran obituarist for The New York Times. But th…
1 month ago
In 'Daytona Teddy Riggs,' a former high school football star enters a downward spiral
Daytona Teddy Riggs is a former high school football star from a wealthy oil and gas family. But in his 20s, he enters a downward spiral as he seeks …
1 month, 1 week ago
Former U.S. Mexico ambassador Ken Salazar on new memoir and "crisis" at the border
Ken Salazar's personal and political life have been defined by the U.S.-Mexico border. The fifth-generation Mexican American has served as a U.S. sen…
1 month, 1 week ago