Podcast Episodes
Back to Search
Curtis Chin's memoir pays homage to his family's Chinese restaurant
There are lots of things Curtis Chin, co-founder of the Asian American Writers' Workshop, learned at his family's Chinese restaurant: how to be curious, how to be kind, how to create community. His n…
Published on 2 years, 1 month ago
'The Liberators' details the lives of Korean-Americans grappling with the war
The debut novel by E.J. Koh is short in length, but extensive in time and place. The Liberators follows several generations of two Korean families, and encapsulates how different individuals reckon w…
Published on 2 years, 1 month ago
Barbra Streisand's memoir looks back on a groundbreaking career
Barbra Streisand spent 15 years working to get her directorial debut, the movie Yentl, made. She writes in her new memoir, My Name is Barbra, that people in Hollywood often told her the story was "to…
Published on 2 years, 1 month ago
In 'Thicker Than Water,' Kerry Washington processes a family secret
Kerry Washington is well-known for her roles in Scandal, Little Fires Everywhere and Django Unchained. But in her new memoir, she reveals a LOT that the public doesn't know about her – and one big th…
Published on 2 years, 1 month ago
What it's like to write the biographies of Elon Musk and Sam Bankman-Fried
Today's episode is a little different. NPR's David Folkenflik sits down with two writers – Walter Isaacson and Michael Lewis – to ask about their experiences writing biographies of Elon Musk and Sam …
Published on 2 years, 1 month ago
In 'Let Us Descend,' Jesmyn Ward harnesses the spirituality of an enslaved woman
For the first few years that National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward was writing her new novel, Let Us Descend, she says she really struggled to tap into her main character. Annis is an enslaved Black…
Published on 2 years, 1 month ago
In 'A Haunting in Hialeah Gardens,' debt takes on many meanings
Hugo Contreras, the protagonist of Raul Palma's new novel, is a babaláwo; he can cleanse evil spirits. Except he doesn't really believe in the whole thing. So when he's able to strike up a deal with …
Published on 2 years, 1 month ago
In 'Differ We Must,' NPR's Steve Inskeep examines Abraham Lincoln's disagreements
Abraham Lincoln's leadership is often remembered for reaching across the aisle – he tried to find compromises even in the most divisive times. But as successful as he was in saving the union, Lincoln…
Published on 2 years, 1 month ago
'The Coming Wave' and 'Artificial' offer different perspectives on AI
Today's episode is all about artificial intelligence and its ever-growing role in our society. First, NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with tech entrepreneur Mustafa Suleyman about his new book, The Coming…
Published on 2 years, 1 month ago
In 'The List,' an allegation of sexual misconduct wreaks havoc on a relationship
Ola and Michael are, by all means, a power couple. They're both high-profile journalists, engaged to be married in a month, who wake up one morning to find Michael's name on an anonymous list of pred…
Published on 2 years, 1 month ago