Books

Books
Arts

Identical Twins Become Divided By Race In 'The Vanishing Half'

2:05pm June 01, 2020

by Maureen Corrigan

Brit Bennett's new novel centers on two light-skinned African American sisters — one of whom "passes" for white. The Vanishing Half is compelling — if somewhat melodramatic.

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Something to Talk About, by Meryl Wilsner

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Arts

'Something To Talk About' Is A Slow-Burn Showstopper Romance

11:21am May 31, 2020

by Denny S. Bryce

In Meryl Wilsner's debut novel, a Hollywood showrunner and her assistant are thrust into the spotlight after an innocuous red-carpet moment prompts gossip about a relationship between the two women.

"Of starbursts brighter than fireworks, you are a child of the universe."

Books
Arts

This Bedtime Book Helps Kids Find Their Place In The 'Universe'

8:03am May 31, 2020

by Samantha Balaban

Before he became an astrophysicist, Ray Jayawardhana was just a kid, looking up at the night sky with his father. "I remember being awed," he says. He's written a book called Child of the Universe.

Humankind: A Hopeful History, by Rutger Bregman

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In 'Humankind,' Rutger Bregman Aims To Convince That Most People Are Good

2:39pm May 30, 2020

by Scott Simon

The historian and author of Utopia for Realists says that research shows that "especially in times of crisis, we show our best selves. And we get this explosion of altruism and cooperation."

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Say 'Hello, Neighbor' To This Charming Picture Book About Mister Rogers

7:00am May 30, 2020

by Juanita Giles

Our kids' books columnist reports that amidst the messes and fights that result from kids in lockdown, Matthew Cordell's gentle new picture book biography of Mister Rogers has the power to soothe.

Hollywood Park: A Memoir, by Mikel Jollett

Books
Arts

'Hollywood Park' Compassionately Depicts The Suffering And Struggles Of Addiction

3:01pm May 28, 2020

by Nicholas Cannariato

Musician Mikel Jollett writes of his young years spent in the Synanon cult and how music helped him overcome these dark days, but misses a chance to discuss music as art and the ideas guiding him now.

Writer and activist Larry Kramer, here in 1989, was an unapologetically loud and irrepressible voice in the fight against AIDS.

Larry Kramer, Pioneering AIDS Activist And Writer, Dies At 84

5:44pm May 27, 2020

by Neda Ulaby

Kramer was a writer with an Oscar-nominated screenplay when his friends started dying mysteriously — galvanizing him to found the Gay Men's Health Crisis, and later ACT UP, to combat AIDS.

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Breathing slowly and deeply through the nose is associated with a relaxation response, says James Nestor, author of Breath. As the diaphragm lowers, you're allowing more air into your lungs and your body switches to a more relaxed state.

How The 'Lost Art' Of Breathing Can Impact Sleep And Resilience

3:07pm May 27, 2020

by Terry Gross

While researching his book, Breath, James Nestor participated in a study in which his nose was completely plugged for 10 days, forcing him to breathe solely through his mouth. "I felt awful," he says.

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Books
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A Memoir Reflects On What Happens To The 'Fairest' Of Them All

2:57pm May 27, 2020

by Hope Wabuke

During a boyhood in the Philippines, Meredith Talusan received positive reactions to the white skin and blonde hair accompanying albinism. She found a different response as a trans woman in the U.S.

Books

How The Pandemic Is Affecting Book Publishing Industry

4:17pm May 26, 2020

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Jim Milliot, an editorial director at Publishers Weekly, about how the pandemic has affected the book business.

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