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Thomas Chatterton Williams, along with more than 150 journalists, authors and writers, published a letter decrying the "intolerant climate that has set in on all sides" of debate in Harper's Magazine.

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Thomas Chatterton Williams On Debate, Criticism And The Letter In 'Harper's Magazine'

9:06am July 12, 2020

by Christianna Silva

A letter on the importance of open debate was published by Harper's Magazine this week and was signed by more than 150 prominent writers and thinkers, fueling a controversy over debate and privilege.

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Books

Author Pam Fessler Discusses Leprosy, New Book

7:58am July 12, 2020

NPR's Lulu Gracia-Navarro speaks with NPR's Pam Fessler about her book, Carville's Cure. It's about the leprosarium in Carville, Louisiana where people with Hansen's disease, or leprosy, were sent.

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Take 'The Unadoptables' Home For A Rollicking Adventure

7:00am July 12, 2020

by Juanita Giles

Hana Tooke creates a memorable villain, Matron Gassbeek, who menaces the feisty orphans of The Unadoptables in the grand tradition of awful authority figures like Miss Trunchbull and Viola Swamp.

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Charlie Kaufman On His Strange New Debut Novel, 'Antkind'

10:28am July 11, 2020

NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Charlie Kaufman about his new novel, Antkind, about film critic B. Rosenberger Rosenberg and his quest to recall a strange new film.

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'Utopia Avenue,' The Greatest Sixties Band That Never Was

7:54am July 11, 2020

by Scott Simon

David Mitchell's new novel chronicles the rise and fall of fictional 1960s psychedelic rock band. He says he was drawn to both the music and the "dark magic that was in the air" in that era.

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You Know How 'Survivor Song' Will End. It's Still Horrifying.

7:00am July 11, 2020

by Jason Sheehan

Paul Tremblay's new novel, about a viral outbreak that locks down New England, hits close to home. Taking place over just a few hours, it's both a zombie horror tale and a focused, personal drama.

The playwright V, formerly known as Eve Ensler, speaks at TEDWomen 2019.

Books

V: How Can An Authentic Apology Lead To Healing?

2:33pm July 10, 2020

by NPR/TED STAFF

The playwright V, formerly known as Eve Ensler, survived horrific sexual violence as a child. Years later, she decided to write what she needed to hear most: a true apology in the words of her abuser.

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Librarian Dawn Wacek speaks from the TED stage.

Dawn Wacek: How Can Libraries Be A Path Toward Inclusivity And Forgiveness?

9:15am July 10, 2020

by NPR/TED STAFF

Are overdue library book fines necessary? Librarian Dawn Wacek wants all libraries to do away with overdue fines to make library services more inclusive and welcoming to all readers.

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Summer Poll judge Andrea Davis Pinkney says the first book she remembers her parents reading out loud was Ezra Jack Keats' classic The Snowy Day.

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Arts

No Reading, No Peace: The Power Of Black Stories Out Loud

7:00am July 10, 2020

by Andrea Davis Pinkney

The difference between owning a book by a Black author and experiencing its power lies in reading it aloud — particularly for kids' books, which can help kids speak up about their own experiences.

'The Beauty In Breaking' Chronicles Chaos And Healing In The Emergency Room

1:51pm July 09, 2020

by Dave Davies

In a new memoir, Dr. Michele Harper writes about treating gunshot wounds, discovering evidence of child abuse — and drawing courage from her patients as she's struggled to overcome her own trauma.

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