Books

Books

Xochitl Gonzalez on novel 'Anita de Monte Laughs Last'

10:49am March 02, 2024

by Scott Simon

An art student, a renowned sculptor, and the spirit of his forgotten, possibly murdered, Cuban wife: NPR's Scott Simon talks with Xochitl Gonzalez about her new novel, "Anita de Monte Laughs Last."

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Cover of I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together

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Arts

A man fights expectations in 'I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together'

7:00am March 02, 2024

by Tahneer Oksman

Maurice Vellekoop's graphic memoir is an impressive book by an artist, a cartoonist, staking a claim — presenting a life lived willfully resisting other people's inconsistent, harmful attitudes.

The American Library Association had its annual conference in Chicago last year. Several states have moved to disassociate with the ALA amid what some conservatives say has been politicization of the group. ALA officials deny having a political agenda.

In Georgia, a bill to cut all ties with the American Library Association is advancing

2:22pm March 01, 2024

by Tovia Smith

Several other states have made moves to disassociate from the nation's oldest library professional association. But Georgia's bill, the first of its kind in the nation, goes further than the others.

Tracing the rise of Christian nationalism, from Trump to the Ala. Supreme Court

1:31pm February 29, 2024

by Terry Gross

Bradley Onishi is a former Christian nationalist who's now a professor of religion and the author of Preparing for War, a critique of the movement and its impact on American democracy.

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Books

The creator of 'Heartstopper' talks about her work and demand for LGBTQ stories

7:58am February 28, 2024

by Julie Depenbrock

Alice Oseman, the creator of the Heartstopper book series, discusses the latest installment and the demand for LGBTQ literature.

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Sloane Crosley mourns her best friend in 'Grief Is for People'

5:00am February 28, 2024

by Heller McAlpin

Russell Perreault hired Crosley when she was 25 and the two became very close. He died by suicide in 2019. Her first full-length book of nonfiction is a noteworthy addition to the literature of grief.

The idea that sentences can end with a preposition has become a point of contention in the replies to a tongue-in-cheek social media post from dictionary publisher Merriam-Webster.

Arts
Books

Merriam-Webster says you can end a sentence with a preposition. The internet goes off

7:53pm February 27, 2024

by Emma Bowman

The dictionary publisher's guidance on the practice has people riled up. Grammarians say the made-up rule is one big waste of time. Not everyone is ready to let it go.

Iraq War failures can be boiled down to miscommunications, according to this author

4:28pm February 27, 2024

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with journalist and author Steve Coll about his new book, The Achilles Trap: Saddam Hussein, The CIA, and the Origins of America's Invasion of Iraq.

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Arts

Tommy Orange's 'Wandering Stars' is a powerful follow up to 'There There'

5:00am February 27, 2024

by Heller McAlpin

An eloquent indictment of the effects of the massacre, dislocation and forced assimilation of Native Americans, it is also a heartfelt paean to the importance of family and of ancestors' stories.

Cognitive neuroscientist Charan Ranganath says the human brain isn't programmed to remember everything. Rather, it's designed to "carry what we need and to deploy it rapidly when we need it."

When is forgetting normal — and when is it worrisome? A neuroscientist weighs in

2:25pm February 26, 2024

by Terry Gross

Charan Ranganath recently wrote an op-ed about President Biden's memory gaffes. He says forgetting is a normal part of aging. His new book is Why We Remember.

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