NPR's Book of the Day

Meet Christine Suggs, author of ¡Ay, Mija! graphic novel, as they discuss cultural identity and the challenges of adolescence. Psychologist Lisa Damour shares insights on teenagers' emotional lives amid the pandemic and offers advice on managing anxiety.

MacArthur Genius Grant and National Book Award winner Terrance Hayes discusses his new collection of poems 'So to Speak' inspired by the COVID quarantine, the 2020 protests after the killing of George Floyd, and the Jim Crow South. He reflects on writing a poem about George Floyd, talks about his love for language and bending the rules of sonnets, and explores the imagery of his mother as a clapping blackbird.

C.K. Chau's novel 'Good Fortune' reframes 'Pride and Prejudice' in early 2000s Chinatown, exploring love and aspiration in a Cantonese American family. The podcast discusses the impact of reframing characters as immigrants and the importance of language. It also explores parent-child relationships, cultural clash, and personal identity.

Conservative columnist Matt Lewis discusses the wealth of politicians, exposing the net worth of prominent elected officials. He examines how politicians amass money for themselves and their families, with Donald Trump as a prime example. The podcast explores the wealth gap between politicians and the general public, revealing concerns about insider trading and lucrative book deals. It also analyzes the significance of wealth in American politics, focusing on Trump's association with the Republican party and the financial challenges during his presidency.

Lara, the protagonist of Ann Patchett's Tom Lake, finds a silver lining during the frightening first few months of the COVID pandemic: her three adult daughters return home to the family orchard in Northern Michigan. In today's episode, Patchett tells NPR's Mary Louise Kelly how they bond while Lara tells them of a romance from her youth, and how looking back to the past brings up all kinds of questions about love and relationships for all the women in the family. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Today's episode features two novels with two very different protagonists, though their journeys might have more in common than appears at first glance. First, Stephen Buoro discusses The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa with NPR's Camila Domonoske, which follows a young Nigerian man's obsession with whiteness. Then, NPR's Scott Simon asks Max Porter about Shy, a short novel depicting a British teen's escape from his boarding school for troubled kids. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Actor Rainn Wilson says he's "always identified as being a dork and a misfit and an outsider." In fact, he says that's probably why he found so much success playing Dwight Schrute in The Office. But in real life, Wilson attributes his dorkiness to how uncool it was to be "the God guy" in the New York acting scene, causing him to shy away from it. In his new book, Soul Boom, he details the monumental role spirituality now plays in his life. He tells NPR's Rachel Martin about his journey back to his faith, and why he feels it should be a guiding force in solving the world's problems. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Miles Morales, the beloved protagonist of Jason Reynolds' Spider-Man novel, is back. And this time, he's dealing with in-school suspension for challenging his history teacher at an elite Brooklyn private school. But between writing poetry about his new crush and saving the world, the young, Black and Puerto Rican superhero also stumbles into some major themes about racism and censorship. Reynolds tells NPR's A Martinez how his newest novel is a response to the book bans taking place across the country – and how he wishes it didn't have to be. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

For poet Camille Dungy, environmental justice, community interdependence and political engagement go hand in hand. She explores those relationships in her new book, Soil: The Story of a Black Mother's Garden. In it, she details how her experience trying to diversify the species growing in her yard, in a predominantly white town in Colorado, reflects larger themes of how we talk about land and race in the U.S. In today's episode, she tells NPR's Melissa Block about the journey that gardening put her on, and what it's revealed about who gets to write about the environment. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

The protagonist of Susanna Hoffs' debut novel, Jane Start, probably listens to Dionne Warwick to hype herself up in the morning. Start is 33 and living with her parents – her days of pop stardom, for one song, are 10 years behind her. But in This Bird Has Flown, a romantic spark reignites a second chance for her creative endeavors, too. In today's episode, Hoffs tells NPR's Andrew Limbong how her own experiences as a rockstar influenced the story, which she's now adapting into a feature film. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy