Author Interviews

'Roaring Wind' Examines Extreme Weather, And The Power Of Air

1:40pm August 16, 2016

Biologist Bill Streever sailed from Texas to Guatemala while doing research for his new book, And Soon I Heard a Roaring Wind. He says the wind was working against him "most of the time."

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Cover detail from A Square Meal, by Jane Ziegelman and Andy Coe

Creamed, Canned And Frozen: How The Great Depression Revamped U.S. Diets

11:34am August 16, 2016

During the Depression, cheap, nutritious and filling food was prioritized — often at the expense of taste. Jane Ziegelman and Andy Coe, authors of A Square Meal, discuss food trends of the time.

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The Lobotomy Of Patient H.M: A Personal Tragedy And Scientific Breakthrough

9:13pm August 14, 2016

by NPR Staff

Known as Patient H.M. to the medical community, Henry Molaison was lobotomized — and lost his ability to create memories in the process. His story is one of tragedy and scientific breakthrough.

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Arts

YA Author Wisdom: Sandra Cisneros

8:39am August 14, 2016

Sandra Cisneros is the author of "The House on Mango Street." For our series, "Next Chapter," she talks about how important it was for her as a Mexican-American woman to move into her first apartment.

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Arts

Words Of Wisdom From Young Adult Authors: John Corey Whaley

11:41am August 13, 2016

John Corey Whaley is the author of the YA novels Noggin and Highly Illogical Behavior. For our series "Next Chapter," he tells us about how he struggled with feeling isolated at college.

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It's Electric: Novel Re-Creates Charged Rivalry Between Edison And Westinghouse

8:57am August 13, 2016

by NPR Staff

In the 1880s, Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse battled over control of America's nascent electrical system. Graham Moore tells their story in The Last Days of Night.

L Is For Learning: A New Book On Proven Approaches And How Teachers Can Use Them

6:16pm August 12, 2016

by Eric Westervelt

We talk with the author of The ABCs of How We Learn. It's based on a popular Stanford course.

Books
Arts

From Gladiator Duels To Caesar's Last Words: The Myths Of Ancient Rome

1:32pm August 12, 2016

Historian Mary Beard says many of our popular notions about the empire are based on culture rather than fact. Her new book is called SPQR. Originally broadcast Nov. 30, 2015.

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Jacqueline Woodson is also the author of Brown Girl Dreaming, Miracle's Boys, Show Way and Feathers.

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Jacqueline Woodson's New Novel For Adults Has Its Roots In Adolescence

4:28pm August 10, 2016

by Lynn Neary

Best known for her kids' and young adult books, Woodson has written her first adult novel in 20 years. Another Brooklyn is a dreamlike narrative about friendship, memory and dealing with death.

Books
Arts

3 Steps To Faking Your Own Death From The Author Of 'Playing Dead'

5:13pm August 09, 2016

by NPR Staff

Elizabeth Greenwood has spent a lot of time researching the death fraud industry. She says the hardest step for many aspiring fraudsters would be cutting all ties with friends and family.

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