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In 'Fresh Banana Leaves' an indigenous approach to fighting climate change
According to Jessica Hernandez, "as long as we protect nature, nature will protect us." Hernandez, from the Maya Ch'ortí and Zapotec nations, is a University of Washington postdoctoral fellow. In her…
Published on 3 years, 5 months ago
Morgan Talty uses humor to tell the story of an indigenous tribe's struggles
Nailing the balance between humor and heavy, dark topics is a difficult feat. Night of the Living Rez by author Morgan Talty meets the mark. His collection of interconnected short stories tell the st…
Published on 3 years, 5 months ago
Two nonfiction books reminiscent of a bygone era in Hollywood
Today we have two nonfiction books that touch on a bygone era of Hollywood some refer to as its "Golden Age." First, George Stevens, Jr., talks to Scott Simon about his book My Place in the Sun, a me…
Published on 3 years, 5 months ago
Werner Herzog's 'The Twilight World' is inspired by a WWII Japanese holdout officer
Hiroo Onoda was a Japanese intelligence officer during World War II, stationed on a small island in the Philippines. When the Japanese army evacuated, Onoda stayed and fought for 29 more years, livin…
Published on 3 years, 5 months ago
'Under the Skin' shows how COVID exposed racial disparities in healthcare
Life expectancy in the U.S. has always been different for people of color. And since the pandemic, that gap has widened. In her new book, Under the Skin, journalist Linda Villarosa uncovers the hidde…
Published on 3 years, 5 months ago
'The Tomorrow Game' is Sudhir Venkatesh's chronicle of violence in South Side Chicago
In Sudhir Venkatesh's The Tomorrow Game, two teenagers on Chicago's South Side face each other in a story that conveys the pressures and motivations boys face when buying guns. Venkatesh, a professor…
Published on 3 years, 5 months ago
'The Last Resort' unveils the environmental toll of beachside destinations
Beach resorts are a favorite when it comes to travel destinations. But behind the infinity pools and the all-inclusive deals, these massive resorts are taking a toll on the environment and on local c…
Published on 3 years, 5 months ago
Danielle Evans and Brit Bennett on the lies we tell ourselves
Today, two takes on stories we tell to make ourselves feel better and the consequences of believing them. First, author Danielle Evans' short story collection, The Office of Historical Corrections. T…
Published on 3 years, 5 months ago
A lifetime of secrets unfold in 'Black Cake'
Author Charmaine Wilkerson's new novel, Black Cake, is all about identity; who we are and how we fit into this world. Estranged siblings, Benny and Byron are left a recording by their late mother aft…
Published on 3 years, 5 months ago
What does 'The Family Chao' have in common with Dostoyevsky? Murder and more.
Patriarch Leo Chao is murdered at his restaurant at the beginning of Lan Samantha Chang's new novel The Family Chao. Eventually family secrets and bitterness reveal themselves — much like a Dostoyevs…
Published on 3 years, 5 months ago