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'The Door of No Return' is a story for children about slavery
Kwame Alexander's new novel aimed at teens, The Door of No Return, focuses on the history of slavery. It follows a boy growing up in Ghana in 1860, and it aims to help readers understand the wholenes…
Published on 3 years, 2 months ago
Hilary Mantel's 'Wolf Hall' examines the reign of King Henry VIII through his advisor
In 2009, Hilary Mantel won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction for her novel Wolf Hall. Mantel died in September, and in this episode we hear former NPR host Liane Hansen's interview with Mantel just af…
Published on 3 years, 2 months ago
Two authors on writing unlikable characters and the power of storytelling
The two books in today's episode point up how authors write and empathize with characters that aren't exactly likable. First we hear from Anthony Doerr who spoke to NPR correspondent Arun Rath about …
Published on 3 years, 2 months ago
A futuristic novel about the powerful escaping to space echoes today's world
Author Tochi Onyebuchi says that a majority of space stories he's come across favor those in power. Rich and white people get to escape in spaceships, whereas less affluent Black and brown people are…
Published on 3 years, 2 months ago
A family grows and changes in graphic memoir 'It Won't Always Be Like This'
In her new graphic memoir, It Won't Always Be Like This, NPR Editor Malaka Gharib revisits the summers she spent in Cairo, Egypt and how they shaped who she is today. She writes about her relationshi…
Published on 3 years, 2 months ago
'The Marriage Portrait' is a renaissance story of marriage, survival, and murder
The Marriage Portrait is Maggie O' Farrell's fictional interpretation of Lucrezia de Cosimo de Medici, who fights to survive her forced marriage with her abhorrent husband, Duke Alfonso II. In an int…
Published on 3 years, 2 months ago
'The Divider' looks at Trump's years in office through the eyes of his aides
When former President Donald Trump was in office, a number of his aides said they wanted to quit out of concern for the country's political and military future. Some did quit, some didn't. Political …
Published on 3 years, 2 months ago
Two YA books spark conversation about race and racial justice activism in youth
Today, YA adult novels – both of which have faced bans from schools and libraries – focus on conversations with kids regarding race and police brutality. First, Angie Thomas talks about The Hate You …
Published on 3 years, 2 months ago
'Daughter of Auschwitz' tells the harrowing story of a child Holocaust survivor
Tova Friedman says she's telling her story of having survived the Holocaust in her memoir, Daughter of Auschwitz, to honor the victims' memories. In a profound conversation with Scott Simon, she reca…
Published on 3 years, 2 months ago
'The Unfolding' examines values of old, wealthy Republicans after Obama's election
The Unfolding examines the socio-political upheaval in the U.S. following the election of President Barack Obama – as seen through the lens of a wealthy, influential Republican power broker. Author A…
Published on 3 years, 3 months ago