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Inspired by P-22, 'Open Throat' follows a queer mountain lion's lonely survival in LA
When P-22 – the puma that lived in LA's Griffith Park – died in December, Angelenos mourned the loss of one of their wildest celebrities. In his new book, Open Throat, Henry Hoke pays homage to the l…
Published on 2 years, 6 months ago
'Between Two Moons' is a coming-of-age story set during Ramadan
The summer after high school graduation is full of promise. But for twin sisters Amira and Lina, the return of their brother from prison complicates some of those teenage plans. In Aisha Abdel Gawad'…
Published on 2 years, 6 months ago
'Built from the Fire' traces the impact of the Tulsa Race Massacre
Oklahoma state Rep. Regina Goodwin is a descendant of survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The racist violence, which killed hundreds of Black Tulsans and burned the city's Greenwood District –…
Published on 2 years, 6 months ago
Stacey Abrams and James Comey pen novels about crime and government
Today's episode features interviews with two very high-profile officials who have written thrillers. First, voting rights activist and former Georgia state representative Stacey Abrams speaks with NP…
Published on 2 years, 6 months ago
'Borderless' is a YA novel about a teenage migrant separated from her mother
Jennifer De Leon's new YA novel, Borderless, tells the story of a Guatemalan teenager named Maya. Though she has a rich and fulfilling life in her home country, circumstances arise that push Maya and…
Published on 2 years, 6 months ago
'Flawless' provides a deeply reported look into Korean beauty standards
Elise Hu moved to Seoul, South Korea to set up an NPR bureau and report on the geopolitical tensions of the mid-2010s. But her new book, Flawless: Lessons in Looks and Culture from the K-Beauty Capit…
Published on 2 years, 6 months ago
In 'Dances,' a Black ballerina navigates immense pressure and expectations
In Nicole Cuffy's novel, Dances, CeCe Cordell becomes the first Black woman to be named principal dancer at a major ballet company; but this big break also comes with big expectations. In today's epi…
Published on 2 years, 6 months ago
Rachel Louise Snyder's memoir traces a life shaped by patriarchy and religion
Journalist Rachel Louise Snyder has covered gender-based violence around the world for a number of media outlets and in her widely-acclaimed book, No Visible Bruises. But in her new memoir, Women We …
Published on 2 years, 6 months ago
Two poets pen memoirs about the relationships that shaped their writing
Today's episode features interviews with two poets who revealed different sides of themselves through memoirs. First, Maggie Smith speaks with NPR's Miles Parks about You Could Make This Place Beauti…
Published on 2 years, 6 months ago
In 'The Kingmaker,' romantic sparks fly at a pipeline protest
Kennedy Ryan's The Kingmaker portrays two seemingly opposite characters – a Yavapai-Apache activist and the heir to an oil fortune – falling in love, and dealing with the complicated fallout of their…
Published on 2 years, 6 months ago