Author Interviews

Books
Arts

Sharp Satire And Dark Humor In 'Riots I Have Known'

7:00am May 25, 2019

by Michael Schaub

Ryan Chapman's debut novel opens in the middle of a prison riot as the unnamed narrator cowers in fear for his life — which doesn't seem like a setup for comedy, but it's packed with dark laughs.

'Accidental Presidents' Looks At Achievements Of Vice Presidents Who Became President

5:07pm May 24, 2019

NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Jared Cohen, author of Accidental Presidents: Eight Men Who Changed America. He chronicles the legacies of men who have taken office when the incumbent died.

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Books
Arts

'Nuking The Moon' Looks At Intelligence And Military Schemes That Didn't Make It

6:03pm May 22, 2019

Nuking the Moon is a new book that chronicles the history of unusual confidential military projects.

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Joe Namath speaks during halftime of a New York Jets game in 2018. As quarterback, he led the Jets to a Super Bowl win in 1969.

He Could Go 'All The Way': Joe Namath Enters His 4th Quarter

11:26am May 22, 2019

by David Greene

In a new autobiography, the great NFL quarterback details his ups (like a Super Bowl victory) and downs (like the Suzy Kolber incident and alcoholism) as he stares down his legacy.

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'Dementia Reimagined' Asks: Can There Be Happiness For Those With Memory Loss?

4:47pm May 21, 2019

by Terry Gross

While caring for her mother, who had dementia, bioethicist Tia Powell began imagining a different way to approach the disease. Her new book looks at long-term care options and end-of-life decisions.

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Books

Jim Sciutto On Tactics Russia And China Use To Attack The U.S.

6:36am May 21, 2019

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to CNN anchor Jim Sciutto about his book: The Shadow War: Inside Russia's and China's Secret Operations to Defeat America.

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Filmmaker John Waters, 73, has plenty of advice for his fellow elders: "Whenever any magazine says, 'What photographer do you want to shoot you?' I always just say, 'The one that has the biggest retouch budget!' "

Books
Arts

'Filth Elder' John Waters Says There Are Still 'Plenty Of Rules' Left To Break

2:03pm May 20, 2019

by Terry Gross

The cult filmmaker, 73, has plenty of ideas about what older people should and shouldn't do. "You can't be trying too hard to rebel [when] you're older," Waters says. His new book is Mr. Know-It-All.

Books

In 'Ladysitting,' Lorene Cary Chronicles The End Of Her Grandmother's Life

6:04pm May 19, 2019

Lorene Cary's new memoir explores the ups and downs of caretaking for an elderly family member. NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Cary about Ladysitting: My Year With Nana at the End of Her Century.

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Books

Grappling With Identity In 'Fieldnotes On Ordinary Love'

8:28am May 19, 2019

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with poet and video game designer Keith S. Wilson about his new collection of poetry, Fieldnotes On Ordinary Love, which explores space, race and physics.

Mind and Matter: A Life in Math and Football, by John Urschel

From The Gridiron To Multigrid Algorithms In 'Mind And Matter'

5:45pm May 18, 2019

by Michel Martin

MIT mathematician and former Baltimore Ravens offensive lineman John Urschel has a new memoir out about how he combined his two very different talents into a successful and varied career.