Books

The Great Zapfino, written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Marla Frazee

Books
Arts

Behold! 'The Great Zapfino' takes a big leap to overcome his fears

8:00am April 30, 2022

by Samantha Balaban

A circus performer whose act is called "The Leap For Life" loses his nerve and gets a regular job as an elevator operator. Then a moment comes when The Great Zapfino must finally perform.

A Palestinian-Syrian chef's cookbook invites people to see any meal as a celebration

5:12pm April 29, 2022

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with chef Reem Assil about her debut cookbook Arabiyya: Recipes from the Life of an Arab in Diaspora.

New book examines the link between German business families and Nazi fortunes

1:47pm April 29, 2022

NPR's Rob Schmitz talks with writer David de Jong about his new book that explores the relationship between Nazism and some of Germany's wealthiest families.

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A writer lost his singing voice, then discovered the gymnastics of speech

1:46pm April 29, 2022

by Dave Davies

John Colapinto developed a vocal polyp when he began "wailing" with a rock group without proper warmup. He talks about the frailty and feats of the human voice. Originally broadcast Jan. 26, 2021.

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Dolly Parton and James Patterson pose for a picture in August 2021. Their new novel, Run, Rose, Run, is about an aspiring country singer in Nashville.

'Dreams do still come true' in a new novel by Dolly Parton and James Patterson

1:43pm April 29, 2022

Parton didn't just co-write the novel, she also recorded a whole album to go with it. Run, Rose, Run is about an aspiring country singer trying to shake a dark past and make it big in music.

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Books
Arts

For neurodivergent, non-speaking poets, collaboration is the basis of language

1:34pm April 29, 2022

by Jeevika Verma

Poet Adam Wolfland identifies as neurodivergent and autistic. He says poetry is in his body — he types and moves to communicate and his poetry is multidimensional.

Books
Arts

Creators on the Cusp: Meet Roye Okupe, father of African superheroes

5:08am April 29, 2022

by Etelka Lehoczky

Okupe incorporates African myth and history into his books –- his "YouNeek YouNiverse." Here he weighs in on creating Afrocentric comics for a global audience — and on his new book WindMaker Vol. 1.

Books

Proof sheets of the first 'Harry Potter' book are up for auction

6:27am April 28, 2022

The 109 sheets are thought to be the only surviving galley proof of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. The item is expected to sell for more than $25,000.

Encore: A library system announces a program to challenge the tide of book bans

4:35pm April 27, 2022

by Andrew Limbong

As more and more school districts ban books from their classrooms and libraries, the Brooklyn Public Library is sharing its resources with teens around the country to fight encroaching censorship.

Amy Schumer, left, creator, executive producer and star of Comedy Central's Inside Amy Schumer, comedian Bridget Everett, center, and author and comedian Jessi Klein attend the show's 3rd season premiere party in New York City in April 2015.

Books
Arts

Comedy writer Jessi Klein reflects on the disorienting experience of new motherhood

2:04pm April 27, 2022

by Terry Gross

Having a baby changes everything: "There's just no way to comprehend how completely your old identity vanishes," Klein says. Her new book is I'll Show Myself Out: Essays on Midlife & Motherhood.

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