Author Interviews

Books

'Prisoner In His Palace': Saddam Hussein And His American Guards

8:12am June 05, 2017

Rachel Martin talks to author Will Bardenwerper about his book The Prisoner in His Palace. It's an account of 12 U.S. soldiers in Iraq, who guarded Saddam Hussein in the months before his execution.

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Actor Alan Alda poses for a portrait during the International Film Festival in Toronto.

Alan Alda's Experiment: Helping Scientists Learn To Talk To The Rest Of Us

8:11am June 04, 2017

by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

The actor's new book, If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?, is all about communication — and miscommunication — between doctors, scientists and civilians.

John Grisham On His Latest Heist Novel, 'Camino Island'

8:11am June 04, 2017

John Grisham's latest book isn't just beach reading; it's set in a beach town. NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro asks the best-selling author about his new thriller, "Camino Island."

Books
Arts

A Man Learns The Truth About His Adoption In 'Everybody's Son'

7:32am June 03, 2017

by Scott Simon

As a boy, Anton was adopted by a loving, prominent couple. He grows up to be a man of distinction. Then he learns that his adopted dad manipulated his biological mom into giving him up.

Books
Arts

'Grief Cottage': A Ghost Story About Loneliness, Loss And Affection

7:32am June 03, 2017

Gail Godwin has a new book out called Grief Cottage. NPR's Scott Simon asks her about it, about getting older and about ghosts.

David Sedaris lives in West Sussex, England, where he's known for picking up trash along the side of the road.

Books
Arts

David Sedaris On The Life-Altering And Mundane Pages Of His Old Diaries

1:13pm May 31, 2017

by Terry Gross

Sedaris' Theft by Finding is a collection of excerpts from those diaries. In it, he revisits major turning points, like how he met his longtime boyfriend and his decision to stop drinking.

Cover detail of Giant Of The Senate, by Al Franken

Sen. Al Franken On Comedy, Trump And The 'Curdling' Of Washington

2:20pm May 30, 2017

by Terry Gross

As a former SNL cast member, Franken tends to see humor in politics. Despite this, he says his gut reaction to the Trump administration isn't levity: "This guy is outside the norm in many ways."

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Books
Arts

An Illustrated Guide To Master The Elements Of Cooking — Without Recipes

11:17am May 30, 2017

by Maria Godoy

In her new cookbook, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, Samin Nosrat says the key to good food is learning to balance those elements when cooking — and to trust your instincts.

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Mike Tyson and Cus D'Amato in training. "I'm not a creator," D'Amato once said. "What I do is discover and uncover."

Mike Tyson's New Book Is A Memorial To The Man Who Made Him A Champion

7:49am May 30, 2017

by David Greene

Tyson says trainer Cus D'Amato is the reason he had such a legendary career. "We had a lot of dreams, hopes. ... Being champ of the world, that's all that we ever thought about."

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Books
Arts

'Destined For War' Explores How To Avoid Unnecessary Future Conflicts

7:13pm May 29, 2017

NPR's Robert Siegel interviews Graham Allison, author of Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides's Trap?, about honoring the dead by avoiding unnecessary wars.

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