Author Interviews

Books
Arts

'Are You Anybody?' Jeffrey Tambor Chronicles A Lifetime In Acting

10:43am May 13, 2017

by Scott Simon

Tambor now stars as Maura, a divorced, transgender parent of three in the Amazon series Transparent. He says the opportunity — and the responsibility — of the role have been life changing.

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Otis Redding performs on the TV show Ready Steady Go in 1966.

Otis Redding's 'Unfinished Life' Still Resonates

8:04am May 13, 2017

Nearly 50 years after his untimely death, Redding's influence as a spirit of soul music remains. Jonathan Gould, author of a new biography of the singer, explains why.

Books
Arts

Harold Evans Makes Himself Clear: No More Passive Voice

7:50am May 13, 2017

by Scott Simon

Celebrated newspaper editor Harold Evans sees a lot of linguistic fog around us: murky words and too much passive voice. His new book, Do I Make Myself Clear? is a passionate call for better writing.

The Power Of Genes, And The Line Between Biology And Destiny

2:26pm May 12, 2017

Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee says genetics play a significant role in identity, temperament, sexual orientation and disease risk — but that environment also matters. Originally broadcast May 15, 2016.

Elizabeth Lesser speaks at TEDWomen 2016 in San Francisco, California.

Health & Safety

Elizabeth Lesser: Why Is It So Hard To Ask For — And Offer — Forgiveness?

8:58am May 12, 2017

by NPR/TED Staff

Before donating bone marrow to her sister — Elizabeth Lesser and her sister undertook a process of seeking forgiveness from each other. She says forgiveness is hard but necessary for our well-being.

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Sue Klebold: When Your Son Does The Unthinkable, Can You Forgive Him And Yourself?

8:58am May 12, 2017

by NPR/TED Staff

Sue Klebold's son Dylan was one of the two shooters at Columbine High School. Nearly 20 years later, she talks about her struggle to understand his actions, and to find forgiveness.

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Thordis Elva and Tom Stranger speak at TEDWomen 2016 in San Francisco, California.

Thordis Elva And Tom Stranger: How Do You Move Forward After Sexual Violence?

8:58am May 12, 2017

by NPR/TED Staff

Tom Stranger raped Thordis Elva when they were dating in high school. Years later, they started a painful and painstaking dialogue about accountability and reconciliation.

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Pete Townshend of The Who performs at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, Calif., photographed for Rolling Stone in 1967.

'Rolling Stone' Founder Jann Wenner On 50 Years Of Rock And Roll History

6:01pm May 11, 2017

When Wenner started Rolling Stone, he says, other publications weren't taking rock and roll seriously. Since then, the magazine has documented five decades of music, politics and culture.

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Eric "Bitty" Bittle takes to the ice in "Check Please," one of the most popular hockey webcomics (yes, that's a thing).

Books
Arts

With 'Check Please,' A Comics Creator Rewrites The Rules — And Scores

5:15pm May 11, 2017

by Neda Ulaby

Bitty Bittle is a gay college hockey star who loves making pies. He's the main character in the popular hockey webcomic "Check Please," created by Ngozi Ukazu — who incidentally cannot skate.

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Books
Arts

'Tar Baby': A Folk Tale About Food Rights, Rooted In The Inequalities Of Slavery

4:46pm May 11, 2017

by Nina Martyris

Versions of the story of Bre'r Rabbit outwitting Bre'r Fox exist around the world. At heart, a new book argues, they're really about who controls access to food and subverting the powers that be.