Author Interviews

'The Body And The Blood' Follows Exodus Of Christians In The Middle East

5:07pm May 29, 2017

NPR's Robert Siegel interviews Charles Sennott, author of The Body and the Blood: The Middle East's Vanishing Christians and the Possibility for Peace, and the executive director of The GroundTruth Project. Sennott talks about the history of Christian communities in the Middle East, and how so many of them are leaving the region.

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Books

'The Reminders' Is A Story About Memory

8:09am May 28, 2017

What does it mean to be remembered? It's the question at the heart of The Reminders, the debut novel from actor, musician, and now author Val Emmich. He joins NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro.

Books

'Chemistry: A Novel' Is About A Scientist Whose Plans Gets Reconstituted

7:59am May 27, 2017

Scott Simon speaks with author Weike Wang about her new book Chemistry: A Novel.

Books
Arts

In 'Shtum,' A Portrait Of Autism Drawn From Real Life

7:59am May 27, 2017

by Scott Simon

Jem Lester's debut novel follows three generations of men who can't communicate — a grandfather, a father and a profoundly autistic little boy. Lester says he modeled the boy on his own son.

Mike and Amy Mills' famous smoked chicken wings, as prepared in Ari Shapiro's backyard.

Books
Arts

'Praise The Lard': A Barbecue Legend Shows Us How To Master Smoked Chicken Wings

4:33pm May 26, 2017

by Ari Shapiro

Mike Mills' chicken wings have been named the best in the country. He is even in the Barbecue Hall of Fame. His new book with daughter Amy Mills shares the gospel of barbecue with home cooks.

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Peter Singer speaks at TED2013 - The Young, The Wise, The Undiscovered, Session 12 - A Ripple Effect, February 25 - March 1, 2013, Long Beach, California, Photo: James Duncan Davidson/TED

Arts
Economy

Peter Singer: How Can We Be More Effective Altruists?

9:11am May 26, 2017

by NPR/TED Staff

Philosopher Peter Singer's work focuses on "effective altruism" — how to do the most good to make the world a better place. He argues effective giving involves balancing empathy with reason.

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Larissa MacFarquhar: How Far Would You Go To Help Others?

9:11am May 26, 2017

by NPR/TED Staff

Larissa MacFarquhar writes about extreme altruists, people who make great sacrifices to help others. She says most of us aren't prepared or willing to do that — which is why we don't give more.

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'Smile Stealers' Recalls A Time When Dentists Routinely Reached For The Pliers

1:22pm May 23, 2017

Medical historian Richard Barnett traces the history of dentistry in his new book. He says that prior to the 18th century, the profession was often practiced by charlatans with "big muscles."

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Books
Arts

'Times' Book Review Editor Shares Her Love Of Reading In 'My Life With Bob'

1:22pm May 23, 2017

Pamela Paul of The New York Times talks about her own new book, which chronicles every book she's read since she was 17 years old. Even if a work isn't great, she refuses to brush it aside cavalierly.

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Churchill, Orwell And The Fight Against Totalitarianism

1:30pm May 22, 2017

Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Tom Ricks says the writings of Winston Churchill and George Orwell still resonate today. Ricks also discusses the generals serving in the Trump administration.

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