Author Interviews

The whole family came along to drop Kent Garrett off at college in fall 1959. He's pictured above in Harvard Yard with his sister, aunt and mother.

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'We Were Curiosities': One Of 'The Last Negroes At Harvard' Shares His Story

4:55pm April 18, 2020

by Jon Kalish

In 1959, Kent Garrett was one of 18 black students accepted into a freshman class of more than 1,000. It was an early form of affirmative action, and he chronicles his time on campus in a new book.

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Getting To Know Estranged Parents — Finally — In 'Missed Translations'

8:01am April 18, 2020

by Scott Simon

Sopan Deb's parents had an arranged marriage, but they were "a bad match from the start," leading to years of unhappiness and estrangement. He writes about it in a new memoir, Missed Translations.

Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life, by Lulu Miller

Learning Lessons From Inspiration, Despite Complexity, In 'Why Fish Don't Exist'

7:50pm April 17, 2020

by Ari Shapiro

Former NPR journalist Lulu Miller was inspired by a scientist who started again when his life's work was destroyed. Now, she writes about what she can take from his story, even when it's not all good.

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'In Deep' Challenges President Trump's Notion Of A Deep-State Conspiracy

2:04pm April 15, 2020

by Terry Gross

Author David Rohde refutes Trump's claims about a "deep state" — and argues that the president is the one creating a parallel shadow government filled with like-minded loyalists.

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A woman on a private plane holds champagne.

From Private Helicopters To Concierge Doctors, Inequality Is A 'Big Business'

2:03pm April 13, 2020

by Dave Davies

Nelson Schwartz, author of The Velvet Rope Economy, says special privileges for the super-rich are dividing America: "The result is less sympathy, less empathy and a sort of a harder-edge society."

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Feeling Cooped Up? Let Your Mind Fly Free With 'What It's Like To Be A Bird'

12:00pm April 13, 2020

by Craig LeMoult

People sheltering-in-place due to the coronavirus pandemic may want to know more about the lives of the birds they see outside their window. Illustrator David Allen Sibley's new book might help.

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David Allen Sibley Takes You Bird-Watching Amid Coronavirus Shutdowns

7:20am April 12, 2020

by Craig LeMoult

The author of "The Sibley Guide to Birds" has a new book aimed at people who want to know more about the lives of the birds they see out their windows.

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Arts

A Haunting Home Movie Inspired Lois Lowry To Write 'On The Horizon'

7:20am April 12, 2020

by Samantha Balaban

The film, made in 1939 or 1940, shows Lowry as a child playing on the beach, with a ship in the distance. She later learned it was the USS Arizona, which sank during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

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Interview With 'The System' Author

4:52pm April 11, 2020

NPR's Tom Gjelten speaks with Robert Reich, professor of public policy at UC Berkeley and former U.S. Secretary of Labor, about his new book The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It.

Alan Zweibel chronicles four decades of comedic collaborations in his new memoir Laugh Lines.

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It's 'Alchemy': Alan Zweibel Explains How He Helps 'Funny People Be Funnier'

11:41am April 11, 2020

by Elizabeth Blair

Zweibel began writing for Borscht Belt comics in 1972, earning $7 per joke. His memoir Laugh Lines chronicles four decades of comedic collaborations with some of the biggest names in the business.

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