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In 'Signal Fires,' a tragic accident stretches across time, memory and family secrets
Author Dani Shapiro spent 15 years working on Signal Fires, a novel about how a single accident changes the course of one family's life. In this episode, she tells NPR's Scott Simon how her own traje…
Published on 3 years, 1 month ago
'And There Was Light' traces Abraham Lincoln's views on slavery and religion
Abraham Lincoln made history in 1863 when he issued the Emancipation Proclamation, effectively freeing enslaved people across the U.S. But he expected it to cost him reelection. In his new book, And…
Published on 3 years, 1 month ago
Two thrillers unfold in the shadows of Appalachia
In this episode, we share two interviews on novels that explore how horror can be found within – and beyond – the laws of nature. First, Megan Miranda takes NPR's Elissa Nadworny into the North Caro…
Published on 3 years, 1 month ago
'Fen, Bog & Swamp' explains why the wetlands matter and why they're disappearing
Pulitzer Prize winning-author Annie Proulx tells Leila Fadel that she learns by writing. So when she wanted to better understand the wetlands – and how they're being affected by the climate crisis – …
Published on 3 years, 1 month ago
'When We Were Sisters' details the pain and perseverance of orphanhood
Poet and filmmaker Fatimah Asghar lost their parents at a young age. But they tell Scott Simon that they didn't grow up with a lot of stories that accurately captured the experience of being an orpha…
Published on 3 years, 1 month ago
In 'Dying of Politeness,' Geena Davis says Susan Sarandon taught her to speak up
Geena Davis is no stranger to the spotlight. But in her new memoir, Dying of Politeness, the Academy Award-winning actor remembers growing up full of insecurities and self-criticisms. She tells Rache…
Published on 3 years, 1 month ago
'Black Women Will Save the World' honors those on the frontlines of democracy
April Ryan and Ayesha Rascoe both know what it's like to cover the White House as Black women. In this episode, the two journalists discuss the importance of taking up space and looking out for one a…
Published on 3 years, 1 month ago
Two books highlight the role of food in creating the comfort of home
In this episode, we share two interviews on books that look at the ways in which food and family go hand in hand. First, NPR's Scott Simon talks to singer Linda Ronstadt about her memoir Feels Like H…
Published on 3 years, 2 months ago
'Mika in Real Life' focuses on identity and the diversity of parental bonds
Young adult author Emiko Jean is out with her first book for adults – Mika in Real Life. In this episode, we hear Jean in conversation with WBUR's Celeste Headlee about the book, in which a teen girl…
Published on 3 years, 2 months ago
'Less is Lost' is the sequel to Andrew Greer's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel 'Less'
In this episode, WBUR's Robin Young talks with author Andrew Sean Greer about his new novel Less is Lost, the sequel to his Pulitzer Prize-winning Less. This time, Greer's protagonist Arthur Less tak…
Published on 3 years, 2 months ago