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'Demon Copperhead' tackles opioids, poverty and resilience in Appalachia
Novelist Barbara Kingsolver loves living in the Appalachian hills of southwestern Virginia. But she says she feels that the region is often misconstrued by mainstream media. Her new book, Demon Coppe…
Published on 2 years, 8 months ago
In 'Bad Cree,' a horror mystery unfolds in the aftermath of loss and colonialism
Jessica Johns' thriller, Bad Cree, opens with a startling image: a severed crow's head in someone's hand. In today's episode, Johns tells NPR's Ayesha Rascoe she hoped that image would set the tone f…
Published on 2 years, 8 months ago
'Meredith, Alone' explores mental health, isolation and friendship
The titular protagonist of Meredith, Alone has not left her home in three years. In today's episode, author Claire Alexander tells NPR's Scott Simon about the character's self-imposed isolation, and …
Published on 2 years, 8 months ago
'Hello Beautiful' and 'Pineapple Street' examine the closeness between sisters
Today's episode is all about family. First, Ann Napolitano speaks with NPR's Scott Simon about her new novel, Hello Beautiful, and the intergenerational trauma that can surface even when everything s…
Published on 2 years, 8 months ago
Patricia Park's new YA novel captures the complexities of race and adolescence
Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim follows a Korean-Argentinian teen's journey to understanding who she is. Through the comfort of her multicultural home in Queens to the hallwa…
Published on 2 years, 8 months ago
'I Am Debra Lee: A Memoir' recounts triumphs and challenges as the former CEO of BET
Debra Lee is one of the most influential women in the entertainment industry. But as the former CEO of Black Entertainment Television reveals in her new book, I Am Debra Lee:A Memoir, there are both …
Published on 2 years, 8 months ago
Fandom acts as an antidote for loneliness in 'Y/N'
The title of Esther Yi's novel Y/N refers to an abbreviation for "your name" as it appears in a type of fan fiction where readers put themselves into a story. It's a way to inhabit another life, whic…
Published on 2 years, 8 months ago
'Poverty, By America' argues America profits by keeping people poor
Why does poverty persist in one of the world's wealthiest countries? Because it's profitable, argues sociologist Matthew Desmond, in Poverty, By America. He tells NPR's Ayesha Rascoe why wealthier Am…
Published on 2 years, 8 months ago
Two books warn about the privacy implications of AI and neurotechnology
Today's episode is all about tech. First, Paul Scharre of the Center for a New American Security speaks with NPR's Ari Shapiro about his new book, Four Battlegrounds: Power in the Age of Artificial I…
Published on 2 years, 8 months ago
'That's hot': Paris Hilton is ready to tell her own story
Paris Hilton is ubiquitous with early 2000s pop culture: She graced the cover of magazines, her own reality TV show and even Billboard charts. But the heiress now says she was playing a character – o…
Published on 2 years, 8 months ago