In two new children's books, characters discover worlds of adventure just outside their doorsteps. Trevor Noah's first picture book, Into the Uncut Grass, is about a young boy and his teddy bear who wander outside the boundaries of their home into unknown territory. The story, illustrated by Sabina Hahn, is about exploring the internal world of a child's imagination and bridging disagreements and differences. In today's episode, Noah speaks with NPR's Ayesha Rascoe about how children can begin to grasp the interior lives of their parents and how humor can be a way to process reality. Then, librarian and author Travis Jonker and illustrator Matthew Cordell join Rascoe for a conversation about their new book, The Ship in the Window. They said the book was inspired by a real-life model ship Jonker spotted at a neighbor's house. In the interview, Jonker and Cordell discuss other references for the book, including the work of author William Steig and the book's vintage-inspired color palette.
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
From the end of the Second World War through 1991, the city of Berlin, the former capital of Germany and its largest city, was split in two.
The two Berlins, East and West, were in a geopolitical situation unlike any that the world had seen before or since.
This one city split into two, was ground zero for the Cold War. Here, the conflict between East and West was a daily reality for the people who lived on both sides.
Learn more about East and West Berlin, how they came to be, and how they came back together on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
Sign up at butcherbox.com/daily and use code daily to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year plus $20 off your first order!
Author and essayist Craig Brown is perhaps best known for his sketch comedy writing and satirical columns poking fun at the British government. But he's also a biographer, having written about subjects like Princess Margaret and The Beatles. Now, he's turned his attention to Queen Elizabeth II in a new biography, Q: A Voyage Around the Queen. In the book, Brown portrays the monarch as an anchor for the British public who penetrated the emotional psyche of a nation–even appearing in people's dreams. In today's episode, Brown joins NPR's Scott Simon to talk about what Queen Elizabeth II symbolized to people, what she would've done with her life had she not been royalty, and the unchanging nature of her character.
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
Join Rob in watching a mosh pit from a safe distance away while we celebrate System of a Down’s “Chop Suey.” Along the way, Rob discusses tension amongst band members, their potent political messages, and Rick Rubin’s impact on the band. Later, Rob is joined by Bandsplain’s Yasi Salek to further discuss System of a Down’s impact, their hometown of Glendale, and much more!
Ever since the dawn of the space age, there have been some who have dreamed of establishing a human presence on Mars.
However, despite being really far away, Mars is not exactly hospitable to humans.
Some suggest that the answer might be to completely change Mars's environment, to radically change its atmosphere, and, over time, to turn it into a second Earth where humans could live.
Learn more about the idea of terraforming Mars, what would need to be done, and the challenges it would face in this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
Sign up at butcherbox.com/daily and use code daily to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year plus $20 off your first order!
Earlier this week, several legendary female artists–including Cher, Mary J. Blige and Big Mama Thornton–were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But despite this recognition, the history of women in popular music has always been marked by struggle. How Women Made Music, a new book from NPR Music and edited by Alison Fensterstock, centers and celebrates that radical history by compiling archival interviews, essays and images from the past 50 years. In today's episode, NPR's Ann Powers talks with NPR's Scott Detrow about the multi-platform project that inspired the book and how female artists have changed history by making revolutionary music–not just by telling their stories.
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
In the late 13th century, the Mongol Empire was at the peak of its power.
It was at this time that the Mongol Emperor of China, Kublai Khan, set his eyes on the islands of Japan.
On two separate occasions, the Mongols assembled the largest amphibious fleet in world history. Both times, they discovered the limits of their military conquests.
Learn more about the Mongol invasions of Japan on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.
Sign up at butcherbox.com/daily and use code daily to get chicken breast, salmon or ground beef FREE in every order for a year plus $20 off your first order!
Owen Han used to work in hospitals, but his life changed in 2020 when his father died. Motivated by his late father's encouragement to pursue his passions, Han started posting food content on TikTok. He shared recipes for dishes inspired by his Italian and Chinese heritage, like his grandmother's shrimp toast. Since then, Han has become known for his creative twists on classic sandwiches–and fittingly, sandwiches are the focus of his new cookbook, 'Stacked.' In today's episode, Han joins NPR's Scott Simon to talk about his expansive definition of a sandwich and how ASMR has inspired his approach to texture.
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
Amanda Holmes reads Anna Akhmatova’s “Three Things Enchanted Him …” translated from the Russian by Stanley Kunitz and Max Hayward. Have a suggestion for a poem by a (dead) writer? Email us: podcast@theamericanscholar.org. If we select your entry, you’ll win a copy of a poetry collection edited by David Lehman.
This episode was produced by Stephanie Bastek and features the song “Canvasback” by Chad Crouch.