Books

Anxious Nations React Fearfully To Rapid Influx Of Migrants, Hamid Says

7:01am April 18, 2017

Amid the rise of nationalism, David Greene talks to Pakistani novelist Mohsin Hamid, who sees migration as an inalienable human right. His new novel is called, Exit West.

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Arts

'My Cat Yugoslavia' Needs A Good Brushing

7:00am April 18, 2017

by Michael Schaub

Pajtim Statovci's debut novel follows a Kosovar immigrant to Finland who meets a singularly unpleasant anthropomorphic cat in a Finnish gay bar. But while the story is imaginative, it lacks polish.

Books
Arts

'The Epitome Of New York Cool': Letterman Biographer On Late Night Icon

10:31pm April 17, 2017

David Letterman, one of the most famous people in America, is an enigma. Jason Zinoman's new book, Letterman: The Last Giant of Late Night, looks at the late night talk show host's long career and the impact it still has on broadcasting today.

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Mollie Burkhart (second from right) lost all three of her sisters under suspicious circumstances. Rita Smith (left) died in an explosion, Anna Brown (second from left) was shot in the head and Minnie Smith (right) died of what doctors referred to as a "pe

In The 1920s, A Community Conspired To Kill Native Americans For Their Oil Money

3:21pm April 17, 2017

by Steve Inskeep

The Osage tribe in Oklahoma became spectacularly wealthy in the early 1900s — and then members started turning up dead. David Grann's Killers of the Flower Moon describes the dark plot against them.

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Books

Largely Forgotten Osage Murders Reveal A Conspiracy Against Wealthy Native Americans

1:39pm April 17, 2017

Members of the Osage Indian Nation became very wealthy in the 1920s after oil deposits were found on their land. Then local whites began targeting the tribe. Journalist David Grann tells the story.

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Arts

'A People's History Of Chicago' Reflects A Spectrum Of Experiences

5:38pm April 16, 2017

by Ray Suarez

Poet and author Kevin Coval talks about his new book of poems, A People's History of Chicago. The book tells the stories of the city's marginalized communities.

Books
Arts

'The Book Of Joan' Recasts A Historic Heroine — In Space

11:41am April 16, 2017

by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

Lidia Yuknavitch's fascination with Joan of Arc informs her new novel, set in a grim future where humanity is sexless and ageless, prisoners in a technological hell ruled by a malevolent billionaire.

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Philanthropy In America Is Becoming 'Ideological Arms Race,' Author Says

8:12am April 16, 2017

Many of the richest citizens are reshaping public policy, and society, as they see fit. Because of their numbers, they have more influence than the philanthropists of the past, David Callahan says.

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Michael Nesmith (center, foreground) with the other members of The Monkees — Davy Jones (left), Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork (right) — in the late 1960s.

Michael Nesmith On 'Infinite Tuesday' And Touring With Hendrix

8:12am April 16, 2017

In his new memoir, the one-time member of The Monkees recalls befriending John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix, who opened for the band on a 1967 tour. (That didn't last long.)

Books
Arts

A Strange Odyssey Through Bulgaria In 'Shadow Land'

7:00am April 16, 2017

by Bethanne Patrick

Elizabeth Kostova's deep love for her adopted homeland grounds this story of a young American woman in Sofia, who finds a mysterious urn full of ashes and has to piece together the lives behind it.