Janet Yellen's career has shattered several glass ceilings; she was the first female head of the Federal Reserve, and she's now the first woman serving as Secretary of Treasury. In this episode, author and journalist Jon Hilsenrath discusses his new biography of her, Yellen , and how her upbringing and marriage reveal a lot about her professional path. Hilsenrath explains to Here & Now's Scott Tong that the love story of Yellen and her husband actually offers insight into the delicate line betwe...
Jan 09, 2023•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today's first interview is with author Peng Shepard on her new mystery. A father and daughter, both cartographers, haven't spoken in seven years. But when the father is found dead, his daughter must use their shared skill to solve the mystery of his death. Shepard told NPR's Elissa Nadworny that obsession can be a stand-in for the person lost. Next, Anne Tyler on her new book which follows a family in Baltimore across several generations. Tyler told NPR's Mary Louise Kelly that she likes to writ...
Jan 06, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Inspired by a true story from Oakland, California, Leila Mottley's first novel follows a young Black girl who is sexually abused by a group of police officers. Kiara is a 17-year-old girl who comes from a fractured, poor family, and the novel follows her story as she attempts to survive and thrive navigating so much with so little protection. In an interview with NPR's Ayesha Rascoe, Mottley talked about the rich internal world she created for her main character, adding nuance to the storylines ...
Jan 05, 2023•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, Here & Now's Robin Young talks with author Andrew Sean Greer about his new novel Less is Lost , the sequel to his Pulitzer Prize-winning Less . This time, Greer's protagonist Arthur Less takes a tour of America in a van, and in the process learns about what it means to be an author today. Less is disappointed by how things are going, but doesn't realize how good things actually are for him. Greer says that he almost didn't write a second book, but by satirizing the literary crow...
Jan 04, 2023•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Author Tochi Onyebuchi says that a majority of space stories he's come across favor those in power. Rich white people get to escape in spaceships, whereas less affluent Black and brown people are left behind on an increasingly inhabitable Earth. His new science-fiction novel Goliath gets at this power imbalance, and the author spoke to Juana Summers about how it tells us so much about racial and economic disparities right now. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoice...
Jan 03, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the aftermath of the Mexican war for independence, a new bride finds herself alone in a haunted house surrounded by people who don't believe her. It's the plot of Isabel Cañas' debut novel The Hacienda, where she blends romance, terror, and the supernatural to tell a story highly embedded with Mexican culture. In an interview with Weekend Edition Sunday, Cañas told Ayesha Rascoe about the themes she wanted to explore in her novel – colonialism, social status, the syncretism of Catholicism and...
Jan 02, 2023•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today's episode centers around two books that explore the rippling consequences of violence against women. First, author Johanne Lykke Holm sits down with NPR's Scott Simon to discuss her new novel, Strega , which follows a group of teenage girls sent to work at an odd hotel – it's a place focused more on reinforcing gendered roles and behavior than welcoming guests. Then, NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Crime Junkie host Ashley Flowers about her fiction debut, All Good People Here , which track...
Dec 30, 2022•19 min•Transcript available on Metacast Charlayne Hunter-Gault is a trailblazing journalist. The first Black reporter for The New Yorker 's "Talk of the Town" section, she's spent more than a half-century reporting on the lives of Black Americans. Her newest book, My People , is a collection of pieces written throughout her career that provide a nuanced look at Black communities across the U.S. In this episode, she speaks to NPR's Michel Martin about how our country's understanding of race has changed since she first began working as ...
Dec 29, 2022•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast The United States is seeing some concerning trends when it comes to school shootings, deaths by suicide, overdoses and other unhealthy behaviors; they're on the rise. Physician Gabor Maté says that's not so much a coincidence as a consequence of a toxic culture in our country. His new book, The Myth of Normal , dispels the idea that these are unavoidable, unrelated statistics. In this episode, he speaks to Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd about capitalism's role in this morbid, new "normal," and where ...
Dec 28, 2022•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Novelist Barbara Kingsolver loves living in the Appalachian hills of southwestern Virginia. But she says she feels that the region is often misconstrued by mainstream media. Her new book, Demon Copperhead , follows a young boy grappling with the consequences of loss, addiction and poverty – but also finding ways to survive through creativity and imagination. In this episode, Kingsolver speaks with Here & Now's Scott Tong about the Dickensian influences in the novel, the divide between urban and ...
Dec 27, 2022•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Bestselling author Neil Pasricha knows what it's like to feel down. Fifteen years ago, he was going through a difficult period in his life – so he started a blog to write down the ordinary, everyday things that brought him happiness: unsubscribing from annoying emails, finding the right tupperware lid on the first try, wearing warm undies out of the dryer. That positivity is the driving force behind Our Book of Awesome . In today's episode, he explains to Here & Now's Jane Clayson how those seem...
Dec 26, 2022•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Today's episode is all about dessert. Not just any dessert – chef-certified, tested and recommended baked goods that are sure to be the star of any holiday table. First, Here & Now's Robin Young tests out some of Molly Gilbert's recipes, from a rice krispie treat variation to a tres leches, and asks why Gilbert chose the sheet pan to be the protagonist of her cookbook. Then, Rose Levy Beranbaum of The Cake Bible fame joins Young to indulge in her newest book: The Cookie Bible. Learn more about s...
Dec 23, 2022•22 min•Transcript available on Metacast How do professional athletes unwind? For Olympic gold medalist Tom Daley, the answer is simple: with a needle and some yarn. In today's episode, he speaks to NPR's Elissa Nadworny about why he picked up knitting and crocheting, and how it's become a sort of meditative practice for him. His new book, Made With Love , dives into his passion for the craft, and offers readers tips and patterns to create anything from a scarf to a dog hat. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/...
Dec 22, 2022•8 min•Transcript available on Metacast Author Kevin Powell grew up without much physical affection. He says the first time someone tried to hug him was in college; it felt like a foreign concept to him. In his new book of poetry, Grocery Shopping With My Mother , Powell examines his relationship with the single mother who raised him – the one he now cares for in her older age. He tells NPR's Scott Simon that writing becomes a way to heal and forgive, even if it means confronting a whole lot of hurt. Learn more about sponsor message c...
Dec 21, 2022•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Bora Chung's collection of short stories, Cursed Bunny, jumps across different characters and genres, but there's something a little sinister in nearly all of them. In this episode, Chung speaks to NPR's Ayesha Rascoe about how bodily autonomy, social stigma and cultural norms played a big part in one particular horror story – which is actually rooted in something the author experienced in real life. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Dec 20, 2022•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast The pandemic accelerated the digitization of our lives. Work, school, dating, even worship – we learned to access and navigate all of it through our screens. But is that actually a good thing? In his new book, The Future Is Analog , writer David Sax argues that there's a lot we miss out on when we over-rely on our devices in our everyday lives. He tells NPR's Ayesha Rascoe that maybe by being a little more intentional, we can find a better balance between innovation and actual connection. Learn ...
Dec 19, 2022•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Patti Smith and Kevin Nealon are both stars for very different reasons; one is a punk legend, the other a standup comedian and SNL alum. But they have something important in common – they both find inspiration in creating visual projects. In today's episode, NPR's Juana Summers speaks with Smith about her new photography collection, A Book of Days , and what she describes as the "sacred atmosphere of the polaroid." Then, Here & Now's Celeste Headlee sits down with Nealon to discuss his book of c...
Dec 16, 2022•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast In Jas Hammonds' YA novel, We Deserve Monuments, high school senior Avery is faced with moving from Washington, D.C. to her mom's small hometown in Georgia to be closer to Mama Letty, her aging grandma. But as she grapples with her new surroundings and with a dark, family secret, she also falls in love with the girl next door. In this episode, Hammonds talks to NPR's Juana Summers about the themes of family and identity in their debut book – and why they kind of think of it as "Gilmore Girls, bu...
Dec 15, 2022•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Timothy Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown are college admissions experts, so they know how confusing and overwhelming the higher education system can be. That's especially true for Black students, which is why their new book offers a guide for how to think about application timelines, exposure to schools, and financial aid opportunities. In this episode, they explain to Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd why there are specific challenges pertaining to Black students, and why it's important for everyone – ...
Dec 14, 2022•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast Climate displacement is already a reality. In Lily Brooks-Dalton's new novel The Light Pirate , which takes place in a near future, a family chooses to stay in a Florida town hit by a severe hurricane. As the state collapses, the people who live there must forge their own path forward. In today's episode, Brooks-Dalton speaks with NPR's Sarah McCammon about the compromises made between nature and civilization, and how the decision to rebuild weighs on those left behind. Learn more about sponsor ...
Dec 13, 2022•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Journalist Dawn Turner grew up in Chicago's historic Bronzeville neighborhood in the '70s. Her memoir chronicles the dreams shared between her younger sister, her best friend and herself – and the disparities that Black girls experience in the quest for their own American Dream. In today's episode, Turner opens up to Here & Now's Celeste Headlee about where her path diverged from those of her friend and sister, and how transcendence looks different for everyone. Learn more about sponsor message ...
Dec 12, 2022•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast It's the most wonderful time of the year – NPR's annual Books We Love ! On today's episode, our host Andrew Limbong sits down with All Things Considered host Juana Summers to discuss some of the titles on this year's roundup, which includes more than 400 recommendations. Then, Here & Now's Robin Young speaks with the author of one of the most popular books on the list: Jennette McCurdy. She opens up about her memoir, I'm Glad My Mom Died , which reckons with her childhood as a Nickelodeon star i...
Dec 09, 2022•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sarah Thankam Mathews' debut novel takes place after the 2009 recession. The lead character, Sneha, just graduated college. Alone in the U.S. after her parents' unfair deportation back to India, she builds community through the friendships and lesbian relationships of her early 20s. In this episode, Mathews explains to Here & Now's Robin Young how her own experience with mutual aid work led her to write about seeking support and solidarity, and why she wanted to break out of the stereotypical na...
Dec 08, 2022•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast Former Vice President Mike Pence says he's been demeaned and misunderstood for his evangelical Christian values. In his new book, So Help Me God , he dives into how his religious views impact his personal life and his political ambitions, and why he feels he's experienced judgment as a result of both. In this episode, NPR's Steve Inskeep asks Pence about how the religious freedom legislation he championed can be seen as discriminatory towards LGBTQ communities, and how hostility and intolerance ...
Dec 07, 2022•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Author and former dancer Meg Howrey knows about the world of ballet. It's at the center of her new novel, They're Going to Love You , which finds an adult choreographer reflecting on her childhood relationship with her estranged father and her father's partner. In this episode, Howrey talks to NPR's Scott Simon about becoming a writer and honing in on the power that ambition, forgiveness and the passing of time can hold. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR ...
Dec 06, 2022•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Journalist and Nobel Prize winner Maria Ressa thinks the world is facing a sort of World War III – especially as it relates to information. Her new book, How to Stand Up to a Dictator , details the relationship between trust, truth and democracy, and how social media's pull to inflammatory falsehoods can threaten that delicate balance. In this episode, she tells NPR's Scott Simon how the Philippines have become "a testing ground for attacks against America," and how investigative reporting on th...
Dec 05, 2022•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast There is a common hurdle for many first generation immigrants: feeling out of place. Whether that's in school, speaking a different language, or living through parents' expectations. Today: two books about overcoming those feelings of inadequacy. First, Simu Liu, Marvel's first Asian superhero, discusses his memoir We Were Dreamers, where he talks about his complicated relationship with his parents and what he calls his "immigrant superhero origin story." Then, Cuban-American author Margarita En...
Dec 02, 2022•21 min•Transcript available on Metacast Bonnie Garmus' new novel Lessons In Chemistry has been getting a lot of buzz. Elizabeth Zott is a talented chemist but because it's the 1960s, she faces sexism in her quest to work as a scientist. So instead she has a cooking show that is wildly popular. Garmus told NPR's Scott Simon that the character of Elizabeth lived in her head for many years before she started writing this novel. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy...
Dec 01, 2022•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast Somali British poet Warsan Shire has had many projects, including running a popular Tumblr page and collaborating with Beyoncé. Now, she is out with a new collection of poems called Bless The Daughter Raised By A Voice In Her Head . That title is an ode to how she was raised, having to take on a lot of responsibility from a young age. But Shire told NPR's Sarah McCammon that it's also an ode to the children who are able to turn those voices into their friends instead of struggling with them as s...
Nov 30, 2022•10 min•Transcript available on Metacast Author Karen Joy Fowler thinks John Wilkes Booth craved attention – and that he's gotten his fair share of it. So her new novel, Booth , instead focuses on his family. Their history might surprise you, given how John turned out. His grandfather was a part of the Underground Railroad. Fowler told NPR's Scott Simon that because of all we know about Booth's family, the path that John took is one of life's great mysteries. And, no, she hasn't solved it. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podc...
Nov 29, 2022•9 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
