Author Interview: Dennis Baron On 'What's Your Pronoun?'
Baron's new book chronicles the history of the gender-neutral, third-person word, "they."
Books
'Processed Cheese' Is Hard To Love — But Easy To Admire
Stephen Wright's new novel is a darkly funny satire of American consumer culture, set in a Day-Glo alternate reality that's unsettlingly close to our own. It's an exhausting but unforgettable read.
How Super Sniffer Dogs Are Helping Detect Disease Around The World
Our canine buddies can do more than play fetch. Turns out dogs' incredible sense of smell is a secret weapon in medicine.
'Franchise' Tracks The Rise And Role Of Fast Food In Black America
History professor Marcia Chatelain's new book tracks what she calls the hidden history of the relationships between the struggle for civil rights and the expansion of the fast food industry.
Pain Drives The Creation Of A Sanctuary In 'Remembrance'
Rita Woods' ambitious novel spans 200 years and multiple storylines — it's a complex story of loss and survival that doesn't always work. But Woods creates memorable characters readers can relate to.
Marcelo Hernandez Castillo On 'Children of the Land'
The Mexican-born poet talks to NPR's Scott Simon about his new memoir and the struggles his family faced as undocumented immigrants.
'Interior Chinatown' Puts That Guy In The Background Front And Center
Charles Yu's new novel follows a TV actor who often gets stuck playing generic Asian men. Yu says he was inspired by shows that set episodes in Chinatown — but keep Asian actors in the background.
'Night Theater' Is An Intriguing But Uneven Drama
Vikram Paralkar's novel takes place over one eventful night at a clinic in a small Indian village, where three murdered people confront a doctor; if he can treat their wounds, they'll live again.
Latinx Critics Speak Out Against 'American Dirt'; Jeanine Cummins Responds
Latinx writers and critics are speaking out against Jeanine Cummins' new book American Dirt, calling its depiction of the migrant experience inauthentic and harmful. We asked Cummins to respond.
'American Dirt' Author Jeanine Cummins Answers Vocal Critics
NPR's Rachel Martin talks to author Jeanine Cummins, who responds to criticism from Latino writers who say her new novel — American Dirt — is not an accurate portrayal of the migrant experience.