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Kenny Smith's memoir 'Talk of Champions' looks back at a career shaped by the NBA
Kenny "The Jet" Smith's life has largely revolved around basketball in one way or another. The basketball commentator, Inside the NBA host and two-time NBA champion is now opening up about the people…
Published on 2 years, 5 months ago
J. Ryan Stradal's new novel pays homage to the supper clubs of the upper Midwest
J. Ryan Stradal knows about supper club culture in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the rest of the northern midwest – he grew up in a town where those dining establishments blurred the lines between restau…
Published on 2 years, 5 months ago
Frances Haugen's memoir looks back on why she blew the whistle on Facebook
Frances Haugen came forward as the Facebook whistleblower in 2021, shortly after she exposed more than 20,000 documents proving that the company's algorithm boosted misinformation and extremism on th…
Published on 2 years, 5 months ago
'The Postcard' and 'Good Night, Irene' detail how WWII impacted two families
Today's episode features two novels intertwining family and wartime history. First, Anne Berest speaks with NPR's Scott Simon about The Postcard, based on the real-life holiday card her family receiv…
Published on 2 years, 5 months ago
In her memoir 'Wannabe,' Aisha Harris examines how '90s pop culture shaped her
As an NPR critic, Pop Culture Happy Hour host Aisha Harris helps make sense of how movies, music and TV inform our everyday lives. In her new book of essays, Wannabe, Harris applies that practice inw…
Published on 2 years, 6 months ago
Greg Marshall's memoir 'Leg' recounts growing up with cerebral palsy
Greg Marshall grew up with parents battling health issues: cancer and ALS. Marshall had his own health scares – he struggled with his leg and mobility his whole life, which his mom and dad said was a…
Published on 2 years, 6 months ago
'Loot' traces the love, war and art that shaped India's colonial history
In her new novel Loot, Tania James writes of a 17-year-old woodworker who's commissioned to build a tiger automaton for the Indian ruler Tipu Sultan in the 18th century. The story is inspired by the …
Published on 2 years, 6 months ago
Paul McCartney's new book of photographs looks back at Beatlemania in 1964
Between 1963 and 1964, The Beatles blew up to become one of the most internationally renowned bands in history. Though images of the screaming fans and the four musicians' swooping haircuts are part …
Published on 2 years, 6 months ago
Two books examine the evolution of the English language
Today's episode features interviews with two authors who are very invested in the English language. First, NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with Hana Videen about her new book, The Wordhord, which collects…
Published on 2 years, 6 months ago
'The Talk' is a graphic memoir about the experiences of Black children and parents
When Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Darrin Bell was six years old, he had an encounter with a police officer. That event, which he kept secret for much of his life, reaffirmed "the talk" he'd just…
Published on 2 years, 6 months ago