Books

Rozi Galambica in her home in Ozd, Hungary. Galambica attends university in the Netherlands.

Hungarian Roma are translating Amanda Gorman; her poetry speaks to their experience

8:08pm January 29, 2022

by Joanna Kakissis

White European translators have hesitated to work on Gorman's poetry because of criticism that their race makes them inappropriate for the job. In Hungary, a marginalized community steps up.

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Illustrator Peter Emmerich says he drew on both research and his own personal memories to draw people like Stephen Sondheim. "I put him in the book wearing what he was wearing when I met him," says Emmerich. "Because, like, I will never forget him in that

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Arts

Theater stars spring to life on the pages of 'B is for Broadway'

5:20pm January 29, 2022

by Jeff Lunden

A few years ago, a children's book called A is for Audra celebrated musical theater divas. Its creators have written a new book, B is for Broadway, celebrating theater from auditions to Ziegfeld.

Books

Gish Jen tells stories of the U.S. and China in 'Thank You, Mr. Nixon'

9:38am January 29, 2022

by Scott Simon

Scott Simon talks to writer Gish Jen about her new book of short stories, "Thank You, Mr. Nixon," which deals with cross-cultural understanding — and misunderstanding.

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Nobel Prize winner Olga Tokarczuk releases 'The Books of Jacob'

8:26am January 29, 2022

by Scott Simon

The latest novel by Nobel Prize winner Olga Tokarczuk takes us back to 18th century Eastern Europe. NPR's Scott Simon speaks with her and Jennifer Croft, the translator of "The Books of Jacob."

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Open: An Uncensored Memoir of Love, Liberation, and Non-Monogamy--A Polyamory Memoir, by Rachel Krantz

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'Open' explores polyamorous relationships through personal experience

7:01am January 29, 2022

by Ilana Masad

Bustle editor Rachel Krantz's memoir is a sincere and curious reckoning with the cultural messaging we all receive about gendered expectations and power dynamics in romantic and sexual relationships.

Turkey and the Wolf by Mason Hereford; Dinner in One by Melissa Clark

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Arts

A shipment of cookbooks is lost at sea. Authors hope the fish enjoy the recipes

5:53pm January 28, 2022

by Mandalit del Barco

Turkey and the Wolf: Flavor Trippin by Mason Hereford and Dinner in One by Melissa Clark call the mishap a very 2022 event as a storm sinks their publication dates.

Ronald Young Jr., Ed Helms and Randall Park on True Story With Ed & Randall.

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What's making us happy: A guide for your weekend reading, viewing and gaming

5:00pm January 28, 2022

Each week, the guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: True Story With Ed & Randall, a web-based game that isn't Wordle, and more.

'The Violin Conspiracy' shows what it can be like to play classical music while Black

4:50pm January 28, 2022

NPR's Asma Khalid speaks with Brendan Slocumb, author of The Violin Conspiracy. The crime mystery finds a Black classical musician trying to recover his stolen instrument — among other challenges.

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Arts

Strap in for highs and lows with the pandemic novel 'How High We Go in the Dark'

5:01am January 28, 2022

by Natalie Zutter

One character is an aimless young man works at a euthanasia theme park for terminally ill kids, placing them on the roller coaster that will kill them before the plague does. It is a book about death.

The comic book artist Art Spiegelman poses on March 20, 2012 in Paris. A Tennessee school district has voted to ban Spiegelman's graphic novel about the Holocaust, Maus, from its curriculum.

A Tennessee school district has voted to ban the Holocaust graphic novel 'Maus'

4:25pm January 27, 2022

by Joe Hernandez

The 10-member McMinn County School Board voted unanimously earlier this month to remove the book over foul language and an image of a nude woman.