Ten years ago, Ta-Nehisi Coates published Between the World and Me, written as a letter to his then-15-year-old son. The book was released shortly after a shooting at Mother Emanuel church in Charleston left nine people dead – and it became a literary phenomenon as many Americans searched for answers about the state of race relations in the United States. In today's episode, Coates reflects on the 10 year anniversary of Between the World and Me. He speaks with NPR's Michel Martin about the book's dedication, efforts to ban his work, and the role of writers in the public sphere.
To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday
The Guillotine has become infamous for being the main weapon utilized during the Reign of Terror and a modern symbol of the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror.
It has been responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of people since its invention in April of 1792.
Of all the ways to execute people, why did they create an elaborate contraption when simpler methods were available?
Learn more about the guillotine, why it was invented, and its impact on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
One of the most important inventions in human history was artificial lighting. With the electric lightbulb, the night could be illuminated, allowing people to extend the productive hours in a day and to work in places that were otherwise difficult or impossible.
While the incandescent bulb was a breakthrough, it wasn’t actually very efficient. It wouldn’t be until decades later that a radically more efficient way of producing artificial light would be developed.
Learn more about LEDs or light-emitting diodes and how they work on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
Today's encore episode features two interviews with Kevin Kwan, author of the Crazy Rich Asians series. First, former NPR host Lulu Garcia-Navarro spoke to the writer in 2020 about Sex and Vanity, exploring identity through the lens of a biracial character and setting a new trilogy between Europe and the U.S. Then, Here & Now's Robin Young asks Kwan about his newest novel, Lies and Weddings, and his thoughts on the fascination with wealth and power in literature.
To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookoftheday
The 19th Century wasn’t a good one for China. It was marked by the nation being taken advantage of by foreign powers and the signing of lopsided treaties.
The 20th Century started out promising, but eventually devolved into a series of warlords and a civil war between two major forces for control of the country, on top of the Japanese occupation of most of the country.
When the dust settled in 1949, the victors were the Communists. China and the world haven’t been the same since.
Learn more about the Chinese Communist Revolution, why it happened, and how the Communists won on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
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Music
Jobs, Winter Memory, and Slow Flood by Dark Dark Dark
Carla et Roger aux sports l'hiver from the score to Le bel age by Georges Delareau
Mt Baker by Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith
All Creatures will Drink Joy by American Cream Band