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Aspen Words Announces 5 Finalists For 2021's Literary Prize

12:10pm February 17, 2021

by Petra Mayer

The $35,000 prize honors fiction that "illuminates vital contemporary issues." This year's finalists deal with everything from Native American land ownership to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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'The Echo Wife' Layers Sci-Fi And Murder Mystery For A Twisty Treat

7:00am February 17, 2021

by Jason Heller

Sarah Gailey's new novel follows a famed geneticist whose husband uses her methods to clone her — and has an affair with the clone. When he's murdered, the two women must figure out to do next.

Books

Bette Midler Discusses Her New Children's Book, 'The Tale Of The Mandarin Duck'

4:57pm February 16, 2021

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Bette Midler about her new children's book, The Tale of the Mandarin Duck, a fable about a diva who catches the eye of New Yorkers.

The Daughters of Kobani: A Story of Rebellion, Courage, and Justice, Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

Women Take The Lead In Fighting ISIS In 'Daughters Of Kobani'

4:46pm February 16, 2021

by Mary Louise Kelly

Author Gayle Tzemach Lemmon recalls one of the female fighters saying "one, we were never going to let ISIS stand ... and two, we just didn't want men taking credit for our work."

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Law professor spent four years as a volunteer police officer in Washington, DC. "The deepest problems in policing can't be changed by police â they have to be changed by the rest of us," she says.

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To Understand Police Reform, Law Professor Volunteered To Join The Force

1:15pm February 16, 2021

by Terry Gross

For four years, Rosa Brooks carried a badge and a gun and worked a minimum of 24 hours a month for the D.C. police — all on a voluntary basis. She writes about her experiences in Tangled Up in Blue.

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Jamal Josef Hopes To Inspire Young Talent With 'Black Boys Dance Too'

5:02am February 16, 2021

Los Angeles dancer and choreographer Jamal Josef penned a children's book to encourage boys to dance. It's called: Black Boys Dance Too: Darnell Enters a Talent Show.

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Olivia and the Masked Duke, by Grace Callaway

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For February, 3 Romances To Warm Up Your Valentine's Day

12:05pm February 14, 2021

by Maya Rodale

February is dark and cold at the best of times — and this year is no exception. But we've got three hot, humorous and heartwarming romances that will bring a little light to the darkest days.

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For These 3 Writers, Black Love And Black Joy Take Center Stage

10:00am February 14, 2021

by Denny S. Bryce

We're celebrating what our pals at the Code Switch blog are calling Black Kiss-tory this Valentine's Day, with a roundup of classic, too-often-overlooked Black romance authors.

Milo Imagines the World, written by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson

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A Boy Named 'Milo' Reminds Us To Choose Imagination Over Impressions

8:01am February 14, 2021

by Samantha Balaban

Milo and his big sister take a long subway ride to visit their mother, who is incarcerated, in the latest collaboration from award-winning picture book duo Matt de la Peña and Christian Robinson.

Books

Author Leah Johnson On Being Young, Black, Queer And In Love

5:30am February 14, 2021

by Summer Thomad

Leah Johnson never saw herself in the novels she grew up with, so she wrote her own. Her debut is about the joy and frustration of growing up Black and queer in a place where that's not the norm.