Content warning: this episode contains discussions of sexual assault.
It’s not breaking news that technology has seeped into modern dating culture. Screens make it easier for us to meet people, but does this convenience trigger a loss of genuine connection? In Mary H.K. Choi’s Emergency Contact, two young lovers are put to the test when their devices become an unwanted third party in their relationship. In today’s episode, Choi joins NPR’s Lulu Navarro for a conversation about her debut novel, and how teenagers can seek meaningful connections with each other beyond a phone screen.
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NPR's Book of the Day - Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan on ‘Remain,’ their supernatural romance novel
Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan are authors known worldwide for their contributions to the genres of romance and horror. But in 2025, they brought these genres together for a collaborative book and movie project titled Remain. In today’s episode, we kick off Book of the Day’s 2026 romance week with a discussion between Sparks, Shyamalan, and NPR’s Leila Fadel. The two join Fadel at NPR’s New York Bureau to talk about their co-authored novel, its inspirations, and the heartfelt, supernatural roots of storytelling itself.
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PBS News Hour - Art Beat - New book ‘Five Bullets’ explores divisive 1984 NYC subway shooting
In 1984, a shooting on a New York City subway thrust Bernie Goetz into the center of the national spotlight. After opening fire on four Black teenagers he said were trying to rob him, Goetz was hailed by some as a vigilante hero and condemned by others as a symbol of racial violence. Geoff Bennett spoke with Eliot Williams, who revisits the shooting in his new book, "Five Bullets." PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
NPR's Book of the Day - New books argue that far-off goals and humor can help shift daily routines
January is the month for people to take stock of their habits and routines – and two new books offer unconventional approaches to shaking up our lives. First, Mark Medley’s Live to See the Day is about the pursuit of far-fetched goals. He spoke with NPR’s A Martínez about what we can learn from no-hope political candidates, amateur creature-hunters, and dreamers. Then, comedian Chris Duffy’s Humor Me asks readers to find the funny alongside the grim. In today’s episode, he tells NPR’s Sacha Pfeiffer about the inspiration for the book, which came from his experience as a teacher.
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PBS News Hour - Art Beat - Filmmaker Jafar Panahi on ‘It Was Just an Accident’ and challenging the Iranian government
"It Was Just an Accident" from Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi is nominated for the Best Foreign Film and Best Original Screenplay Oscars. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown met with Panahi to talk about his film, his country in distress, and the work of a social filmmaker. It's for our series Art in Action, exploring the intersection of art and democracy as part of our CANVAS coverage. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
NPR's Book of the Day - Iranian pop star Googoosh on her new memoir and life in pre-revolution Iran
The Iranian government has exerted forceful control over its citizens since the Islamic Republic seized power nearly 50 years ago. The pop star Googoosh has firsthand experience of opposition to the regime – and its consequences. In 1980, the singer was imprisoned and forced into a basement with other women after the government deemed her music sinful. Afterwards, she spent decades living in silence and exile. In today’s episode, she joins Here & Now’s Peter O’Dowd for a conversation about her new memoir, Googoosh: A Sinful Voice, and her relationship with Iran, then and now.
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PBS News Hour - Art Beat - ‘Get in the Game’ exhibition explores connections between art and sports
The art of sports, and sports as art. Two worlds collide and complement each other in an exhibition now traveling the country as the Winter Olympics are set to start soon. Senior arts correspondent Jeffrey Brown had a chance to take it in for our arts and culture series, CANVAS. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
NPR's Book of the Day - Sarah Harman’s debut novel is a lighthearted take on the ‘missing kid’ mystery genre
Is there anything you wouldn’t do for your favorite person? That question is at the center of Sarah Harman’s debut novel All the Other Mothers Hate Me. The book follows a single mom, Florence, who goes to extreme lengths to defend her son when he becomes a suspect in the disappearance of his school bully. In today’s episode, Harman tells NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe about her misfit protagonist and her observations of British culture from an outsider’s perspective.
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PBS News Hour - Art Beat - ‘Miracle Children’ explores admissions scandal that exposed inequalities in education
A few years ago, a small, private school in an underprivileged Black community in Louisiana made national headlines for propelling student after student into elite universities like Harvard and Yale. But according to the new book "Miracle Children," the school's success was built on lies and threats. Amna Nawaz spoke with the writers, Katie Benner and Erica Green. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
NPR's Book of the Day - ‘Firestorm’ tells journalistic – and personal – story of the LA wildfires
Jacob Soboroff was one of the reporters on the front lines of last year’s devastating wildfires in Los Angeles. For him, the story was also deeply personal: He grew up in the Palisades, one of several neighborhoods engulfed by the flames. In his new book Firestorm: The Great Los Angeles Fires and America’s New Age of Disaster, Soboroff provides a firsthand account of the Palisades and Eaton fires – and tries to understand what went wrong. In today’s episode, Soboroff speaks with Here & Now’s Peter O’Dowd about witnessing the destruction of his childhood neighborhood and the political aftermath of the fires.
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