NPR's Book of the Day Folgen

Black AF History: The Un-Whitewashed Story of America re-tells American history from the experiences of Black people. In today's episode, political commentator and author Michael Harriot speaks with Here & Now's Celeste Headlee about how revisiting American history in the context of the Black perspective shows the country's story as one of triumph and survival.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

When author Caitlin Shetterly saw an influx of license plates from Massachusetts and New York arrive in her home state of Maine during the pandemic, inspiration struck for her debut novel. Pete and Alice in Maine follows a couple that moves the family out of New York City during the initial COVID-19 scare — but finds the baggage from Pete's affair and Alice's questions about her purpose follow them. In today's episode, Shetterly speaks with NPR's Scott Simon about the very complicated idea of forgiveness, and how it eludes both of her characters.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Vauhini Vara started writing some of the stories in This Is Salvaged when she was still in her 20s, two decades ago. From the complicated tension between two sisters to the way one mother chooses to selectively share information with her daughter, the stories in the book focus on the way people — primarily women — can struggle to connect with one another despite their best efforts. In today's episode, Vara tells Here & Now's Deepa Fernandes how time away provided perspective on her characters, and how she uses awkward or uncomfortable situations as jumping off points for her writing.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy