Author Interviews

Books

In Jesse McCarthy's Debut Novel, A Young Black Man Goes In Search Of Himself

10:03am June 05, 2021

NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Jesse McCarthy about his debut novel, The Fugitivities. It's the story of a young, Black man trying to form his own identity.

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Books

Ashley C. Ford Explore Her Relationship With Her Father In 'Somebody's Daughter'

8:03am June 05, 2021

NPR's Scott Simon speaks to Ashley C. Ford about her new memoir, Somebody's Daughter. It's about her childhood and relationship with her father, who served time in prison during most of her life.

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The Alchemy Of Words And Music: Tayari Jones Talks With Lara Downes

5:00am June 05, 2021

by Lara Downes

The best-selling novelist shares tips for good writing and the stories behind some of the most meaningful music in her life, from Rossini to the O'Jays.

Books

In 'How The Word Is Passed,' 8 Places Tell The Story Of Slavery In The U.S.

4:25pm June 03, 2021

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Atlantic staff writer Clint Smith about his new book, How the Word is Passed, which looks at slavery as being central in America's history.

Former Obama Advisor Explores the Decline of Democracy Across The Globe In New Book

4:25pm June 03, 2021

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Ben Rhodes, former advisor to President Obama, about his new book which explores the decline of democracy abroad — and warns that it could happen here, too.

Books

Publisher Peter Osnos, Who's Worked With Promininent Americans, Pens Memoir

6:38am June 03, 2021

NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with former journalist and publisher Peter L.W. Osnos about his book: An Especially Good View.

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Civil rights activists are blocked by National Guard members brandishing bayonets while trying to stage a protest on Beale Street in Memphis, Tenn., in 1968.

Historian Uncovers The Racist Roots Of The 2nd Amendment

3:41pm June 02, 2021

by Dave Davies

Carol Anderson says the Second Amendment was designed to ensure slave owners could quickly crush any rebellion or resistance from those they'd enslaved. Her new book is The Second.

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Books

Margaret Atwood Reads Her Erotic Poem About Cicadas

5:18pm June 01, 2021

Margaret Atwood reads the poem "Cicadas" from her recent book of poetry called Dearly.

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Books
Arts

Mapping A Path Forward For The Asian Diaspora In 'Imagine Us, The Swarm'

12:34pm June 01, 2021

by Jeevika Verma

In her latest collection, Chinese American poet Muriel Leung considers what it means to assimilate, and ultimately heal, against the collective memory of grief and vulnerability.

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Clint Smith is a staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of the poetry collection Counting Descent.

Slavery Wasn't 'Long Ago': A Writer Exposes The Disconnect In How We Tell History

12:07pm June 01, 2021

by Terry Gross

In How the Word is Passed, Clint Smith visits eight places central to the history of slavery in America, including Thomas Jefferson's Monticello plantation and Louisiana's Angola prison.