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Jhumpa Lahiri says the phrase ‘Interpreter of Maladies’ came to her in grad school
It’s Back to School week at NPR’s Book of the Day, which means we’re looking back at interviews with authors who may have shown up on your high school syllabus. First, Jhumpa Lahiri debuted her short…
Published on 3 months ago
‘2024’ and ‘From the Clinics to the Capitol’ dissect opposing political movements
Today’s episode features two books that dissect very different case studies in politics: Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign and the anti-abortion movement. First, in July 2024, Harris’ presidential…
Published on 3 months, 1 week ago
In Meg Medina’s new young adult novel, a 13-year-old girl becomes a sea ghost
Meg Medina’s new young adult novel begins with a fall: Graciela, a 13-year-old-girl, is blown off a cliff and sucked into the bottom of the sea. A century later, she awakens and her afterlife begins.…
Published on 3 months, 1 week ago
‘Misbehaving at the Crossroads’ is a lesson in the complexity of reconciliation
In her first nonfiction book Misbehaving at the Crossroads, Honoree Fanonne Jeffers weaves together history, political commentary and poetry that centers Black women. The poet and novelist’s essays e…
Published on 3 months, 1 week ago
In Rabih Alameddine’s new novel, a mother and son share a tiny Beirut apartment
Raja teaches philosophy to high schoolers and shares an apartment with his 82-year-old mother, Zalfa. Rabih Alameddine explores their relationship – and other forms of intimacy – in his new novel The…
Published on 3 months, 1 week ago
Tamara Yajia’s memoir recounts a chaotic upbringing between the U.S. and Argentina
Tamara Yajia’s memoir Cry for Me, Argentina describes a chaotic upbringing between Argentine and American cultures. A big focus of the memoir is her “insane” family, who exposed Yajia to a high level…
Published on 3 months, 1 week ago
‘Papilio’ and ‘Chooch Helped’ are children’s books brought to life by friendship
Two children’s books were brought to life by close collaborations, one between longtime friends and another that began with a chance encounter. First, Papilio follows an adventurous caterpillar throu…
Published on 3 months, 2 weeks ago
In ‘The Sunflower Boys,’ a 12-year-old boy comes of age during war in Ukraine
Artem is a 12-year-old Ukranian boy who likes to spend summer days on his grandfather’s sunflower farm swimming with his younger brother, Yuri. But one night in February 2022, they hear sirens and bo…
Published on 3 months, 2 weeks ago
‘Friends with Words’ is a book about language, from word origins to regional dialects
For Martha Barnette, griping about grammatical pet peeves is one of the least interesting ways to talk about language. Instead, the co-host of the radio show “A Way with Words” says she’d rather thin…
Published on 3 months, 2 weeks ago
Kate Riley’s novel ‘Ruth’ was inspired by her year in an insular religious community
Author Kate Riley says her book Ruth was partly based on her year spent living in an insular religious community. The debut novel explores what it’s like to live in a world without total access to in…
Published on 3 months, 2 weeks ago