Books

Paris Bookstores Are Designated Essential — But These Landmarks Struggle To Survive

6:03pm May 16, 2021

by Eleanor Beardsley

Gibert Jeune, which held a prominent place in Parisians hearts, is one of the latest to close. The pandemic is only one pressure on independent bookstores, but some have found ways to survive.

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Arts

Andrew McCarthy Recalls His Brat Pack Years In A New Memoir

11:50am May 16, 2021

by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

The star of movies like St. Elmo's Fire and Pretty in Pink writes about his tumultuous 20s in Brat: An '80s Story. Of that era's movies, he says the emotions are timeless, the hair not so much.

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The Plot, by Jean Hanff Korelitz (promo image)

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'The Plot' Works As Literary Satire, But Its Mystery Fizzles

11:35am May 16, 2021

by Bethanne Patrick

Jean Hanff Korelitz's tale of dirty deeds in the world of letters skewers pompous male authors with sly humor — but her approach to the central mystery might have you guessing the ending too soon.

On The Trapline, written by David A. Robertson and illustrated by Julie Flett

Books
Arts

A Boy And His Grandfather Visit Home 'On The Trapline'

10:46am May 15, 2021

by Samantha Balaban

A little boy and his Moshom — which means grandfather in Swampy Cree — travel north to visit the trapline where, many years ago, the grandfather grew up living off the land.

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Books

'Facing The Mountain' Tells Story Of Japanese American WWII Heroes

7:59am May 15, 2021

NPR's Scott Simon talks to writer Daniel James Brown about his new book, Facing The Mountain, which tells the story of Japanese American soldiers who fought for a country that rejected them.

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'The Rock Eaters' Explores The Boundaries Of Emotion, Possibility And Longing

5:00am May 15, 2021

by Jason Heller

Brenda Peynado's new collection yanks readers straight into her stories, punchy and powerful tales that mix the everyday and the fantastic to search for meaning in the immigrant experience.

Books

Author Explains Why Those 4-Letter Words Are So Satisfying To Say Out Loud

4:30pm May 14, 2021

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with linguist John McWhorter about his new book, Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter: Then, Now, and Forever, which looks at how profanities have evolved over centuries.

When I Grow Up I Want To Be A List Of Further Possibilities, by Chen Chen

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Arts

Engaging With Asian American And Pacific Islander Heritage Month: A Reading List

12:16pm May 14, 2021

Over the past year, stories surrounding Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been full of violence and grief — here are some reading recommendations that'll take you beyond just suffering.

Books
Arts

Lee Mokobe: How Can We Make Sense Of Ourselves Through Poetry?

9:36am May 14, 2021

How can art be a tool to better understand ourselves and the world around us? Poet Lee Mokobe shares what it was like to grow up trans in South Africa, and how language can be a tool for change.

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Amanda Gorman - National Youth Poet Laureate - photographed for the Check The Coast campaign for the California Coastal Commission

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Arts

Amanda Gorman: Using Your Voice Is A Political Choice

8:56am May 14, 2021

Poet Amanda Gorman has often been asked to write poems that aren't "political." In her 2018 TED Talk, she explains why her writing inherently carries messages greater than her words.

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