Author Interviews

The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal

Books
Arts

'Lager Queen' Author Was Tired Of Caricatures Of Midwestern Women

5:34pm July 23, 2019

by Ari Shapiro

J. Ryan Stradal wasn't seeing the strong, Midwestern women who raised him reflected well in contemporary fiction. So he decided to write those characters himself in The Lager Queen of Minnesota.

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The cover of Beijing Payback by Daniel Nieh

Books
Arts

In 'Beijing Payback,' The Immigrant Experience, But Make It A Crime Thriller

8:07pm July 22, 2019

by Ari Shapiro

Daniel Nieh used to be a model and a translator. He says both of those professions went into his debut novel, a page-turner about a college basketball player unraveling his Chinese father's murder.

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'State Of The Heart' Cardiologist Assesses Breakthroughs In Heart Health

2:22pm July 22, 2019

by Terry Gross

Dr. Haider Warraich talks about advancements in treating and preventing heart failure, and explains how the understanding of healthy blood pressure and good cholesterol continues to evolve.

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Book: Author Discusses Novel 'Copperhead'

5:14pm July 21, 2019

NPR's Sarah McCammon talks with writer Alexi Zentner about his latest novel, Copperhead.

In Queen of the Sea, 11-year-old Margaret befriends a mysterious visitor to her island home — and learns to play chess.

Books
Arts

In 'Queen Of The Sea,' The Story Rides On Goatback

8:00am July 21, 2019

by Petra Mayer

Dylan Meconis' new graphic novel is set on a mysterious island off the coast of a country that's not quite Tudor England. It's an alternate history, loosely based on the youth of Queen Elizabeth I.

A Look At The Vulnerabilities And Capabilities Of American Cybersecurity

5:16pm July 16, 2019

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with former U.S. counterterrorism coordinator Richard Clarke about his new book, The Fifth Domain, co-written with Robert Knake.

Books
Arts

Colson Whitehead On The True Story Of Abuse And Injustice Behind 'Nickel Boys'

1:35pm July 16, 2019

by Dave Davies

Whitehead's new novel is based on a notorious Florida reform school where boys were beaten and sexually abused. "If there's one place like this, there are many," he says.

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Emily Nussbaum received the most hate mail of her career after she panned season 1 of HBO's True Detective. "Most of it was handwritten," she says.

Books
Arts

We All Watch In Our Own Way: A Critic Tracks The 'TV Revolution'

1:10pm July 15, 2019

by Terry Gross

New Yorker TV critic Emily Nussbaum won't appear on panels pitting TV against movies or books. "Everything is valuable in its own way and they don't need to be in tension with one another," she says.

Mark Bowden Talks Process Of Adapting Mueller Report Into Graphic Novel

5:09pm July 14, 2019

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with journalist Mark Bowden, author of Black Hawk Down, about the process of adapting the Mueller Report into a graphic novel.

Books

Lesley Nneka Arimah Wins 2019 Caine Prize For African Writing

5:09pm July 14, 2019

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Nigerian writer Lesley Nneka Arimah, winner of the 2019 Caine Prize for African Literature, about her short story Skinned.