Books

The Great Bluff That Led To A 'Magical' Pill And A Sexual Revolution

4:02pm October 02, 2015

In the '50s, four people collaborated to create a pill that would allow women to enjoy sex. Jonathan Eig details the history in The Birth of the Pill. Originally broadcast Oct. 7, 2014.

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'M Train' Is A Poetic Journey Through Life And Loss

3:12pm October 02, 2015

by Heller McAlpin

Patti Smith's new memoir is a dreamy, elegiac recollection of loved ones gone too soon, energized by her interests and travels. It jumps in time, from her husband's death in 1994 to Hurricane Sandy.

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Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Ms. Marvel' And Regrettable Television

2:20pm October 02, 2015

by Linda Holmes

This week's show has Ms. Marvel, terrible television, live show news, and a lot of laughing, not to mention what's making us happy this week.

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Grief Is Unpredictable In 'After You'

12:27pm October 02, 2015

by Bobbi Dumas

Jojo Moyes' follow-up to her 2012 best-seller Me Before You picks up with heroine Lou, heartbroken after the death of her love Will. Stuck in a bad job and numb with grief, Lou must build a new world.

D. Watkins' work has appeared in The Baltimore Sun and Salon. He will start teaching English at Goucher College in the spring.

Baltimore Author Discusses 'Living (And Dying) While Black'

9:01am October 02, 2015

Author D. Watkins says that crack destroyed his East Baltimore neighborhood, and he explains how the real day-to-day of selling drugs is nothing like the movies. His new book is The Beast Side.

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Originating in Mexico City, suadero tacos have gone from a food of the poor to a widely adored filling. These tacos are made from a variety of meats, including suadero, a cut from the lower parts of a cow. The meat is cooked in a griddle-like device calle

'Tacopedia': A Mouth-Watering Tour Of Mexico's Taco Culture

4:38pm October 01, 2015

by Tove Danovich

From the smoked marlin tacos of Baja California to the fried flower tacos of Chiapas, Mexico is home to endless interpretations of this essential dish. A new tome documents this vibrant taco cuisine.

Cover photo of After You, by Jojo Moyes.

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A Broken-Hearted Heroine Picks Up The Pieces In Jojo Moyes' 'After You'

4:08pm October 01, 2015

by Maureen Corrigan

Moyes' follow-up to her 2012 novel Me Before You explores the depths of grief and the paths of resilience. Maureen Corrigan calls After You "an affecting [and] entertaining female adventure tale."

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'Six Of Crows' Is A Well-Turned Heist Tale

4:06pm October 01, 2015

by Jason Sheehan

Leigh Bardugo's latest invites comparison to Ocean's 11, one of the best heist stories ever told. Critic Jason Sheehan says the teenage crows seem too mature, but praises the immersive world-building.

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'The Heart Goes Last' Is A Swiftian Satire Of Imbeciles In The Apocalypse

1:39pm October 01, 2015

by Tasha Robinson

Margaret Atwood's new novel started life as a digital serial about a young couple who join a strange prison-based planned community. But their hapless shallowness makes the book deeply frustrating.

The Tsar of Love and Techno, by Anthony Marra.

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Arts

Exclusive First Read: Anthony Marra's 'The Tsar Of Love And Techno'

1:16pm October 01, 2015

by NPR Staff

Read an exclusive excerpt of Anthony Marra's The Tsar of Love and Techno, a collection of nine interconnected stories about the journey of a mysterious painting through modern Russian history.