Books

A detail from the cover of Jaguar II, the new album from Victoria Monét.

Arts
Books

What's Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend reading and listening

8:09pm September 15, 2023

Each week, Pop Culture Happy Hour guests and hosts share what's bringing them joy. This week: The audiobooks Mythos and Why We Love Baseball, and the new albums Jaguar II and Blame My Ex.

Hollywood relies on China to stay afloat. What does that mean for movies?

1:35pm September 15, 2023

by Terry Gross

Red Carpet author Erich Schwartzel says that film studios increasingly need Chinese audiences to break even — which can result in self-censorship. Originally broadcast Feb. 21, 2022.

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'The Last Politician' author shares stories behind Biden's successes and failures

10:25am September 15, 2023

by Terry Gross

Atlantic writer Franklin Foer initially saw Biden as a bloviator who fetishized bipartisanship; he's since come to appreciate Biden's ability to empathize with opponents and get legislation passed.

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This atheist chaplain treats 'Jane Eyre' as sacred text

7:52pm September 14, 2023

by Rachel Martin

NPR's Rachel Martin talks with author and atheist chaplain Vanessa Zoltan about her practice of treating novels like Jane Eyre as sacred text.

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Books
Arts

In 'The Enchanters' James Ellroy brings Freddy Otash into 1960s L.A.

4:31pm September 13, 2023

by Gabino Iglesias

The Enchanters marks the return of Freddy O — a disgraced ex-LAPD cop and Confidential magazine dirt digger turned shifty private investigator and Hollywood fixer — and introduces Marilyn Monroe.

Drew Barrymore dropped as National Book Awards host

1:46am September 13, 2023

by The Associated Press

Drew Barrymore has been dropped as host of the upcoming National Book Awards ceremony, a day after her talk show taped its first episode since the Hollywood writers strike began.

Writing novels has created a quiet happy place for talk show host Graham Norton

6:18pm September 12, 2023

NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with talk show host and writer Graham Norton about his new novel Forever Home.

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Matthew McConaughey hopes his new book, Just Because, will spark thoughtful conversations among families and connect people of all generations.

Books

Matthew McConaughey's book 'Just Because' is judgment-free

12:28pm September 12, 2023

by Reena Advani

NPR's A Martinez speaks with actor Matthew McConaughey about his new children's book, Just Because, which offers life lessons in couplets.

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Books
Arts

'Daughter' explores a dysfunctional relationship between father and daughter

11:06am September 12, 2023

by Michael Schaub

Daughter is an intensely psychological novel, one that poses questions it doesn't, and maybe can't, answer. There are flashes of Claudia Dey's usually excellent writing, but not consistently enough.

Some of the winners of this year's Whiting Literary Magazine Prize

Books
Arts

The Paris Review, n+1 and others win 2023 Whiting Literary Magazine Prizes

9:20am September 12, 2023

by Neda Ulaby

The 2023 Whiting Literary Magazine Prize has been awarded to The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Paris Review, Oxford American and n+1 among others