'Ticker' And Building An Artificial Heart
NPR's Jennifer Ludden speak with author Mimi Swartz about her new book, Ticker. It tells the story of the quest to build an artificial heart.
Books
'We The Animals' Becomes A Film, And The Author Approves
Jeremiah Zagar's first fiction feature adapts Justin Torres' debut novel. "I didn't want it to be, like, poverty porn or like a Lifetime domestic violence film," Torres says. "And he got that."
A Young Woman Claims Her Power In 'Open Me'
Lisa Locascio's novel follows 18-year-old Roxana, whose summer abroad in Denmark becomes both a political and sexual awakening when she falls for the Danish student charged with helping her settle in.
Ready For A Linguistic Controversy? Say 'Mmhmm'
Mmhmm is a small word that's often used unconsciously. But it can actually tell us a lot about language, bias and the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
Novelist John Le Carré Reflects On His Own 'Legacy' Of Spying
Le Carré worked for MI5 and MI6 early in his career. "I felt I had to suppress my humanity," he said of those years. His novel A Legacy of Spies came out in 2017. Originally broadcast Sept. 5, 2017.
Click If You Dare: 100 Favorite Horror Stories
In honor of Frankenstein's 200th birthday, this year's summer reader poll is all about horror — from classics like Mary Shelley's monster to new favorites, we've got something to scare everyone.
What, No 'Jaws?' Or: See The Movie, Skip The Book
Readers may notice that some famous titles are missing from this year's final list of 100 favorite horror stories — books like Jaws and The Amityville Horror. That's because, frankly, they stink.
H.P. Lovecraft And The Shadow Over Horror
Lovecraft's stories are among the foundations of modern horror; they still have the power to terrify today. But his bigotry is just as horrific — so how do we deal with this all-too-human darkness?
'Flights' Is A Trip, If You Like Wandering Off The Edges Of The Map
Polish author Olga Tokarczuk's new collection is a cabinet of curiosities — surreal, loosely connected stories about the human body, about movement, about two-headed calves and saints' relics.
'A Girl's Guide' To Growing Up On A Secretive Missile Test Site
When Karen Piper was 6, her family moved to the Mojave Desert. In A Girl's Guide To Missiles she describes how her parents designed weapons, but she didn't understand how it all connected to war.