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An Illustrated Guide To Master The Elements Of Cooking — Without Recipes
Courtesy of Wendy MacNaughton

The Salt

An Illustrated Guide To Master The Elements Of Cooking — Without Recipes

In her new cookbook, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, Samin Nosrat says the key to good food is learning to balance those elements when cooking — and to trust your instincts.

An Illustrated Guide To Master The Elements Of Cooking — Without Recipes

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Mike Tyson's New Book Is A Memorial To The Man Who Made Him A Champion

Mike Tyson and Cus D'Amato in training. "I'm not a creator," D'Amato once said. "What I do is discover and uncover." Ken Regan/Camera 5 /Courtesy of Blue Rider Press & Plume hide caption

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Ken Regan/Camera 5 /Courtesy of Blue Rider Press & Plume

Mike Tyson's New Book Is A Memorial To The Man Who Made Him A Champion

Tyson says trainer Cus D'Amato is the reason he had such a legendary career. "We had a lot of dreams, hopes. ... Being champ of the world, that's all that we ever thought about."

Mike Tyson's New Book Is A Memorial To The Man Who Made Him A Champion

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'The Body And The Blood' Follows Exodus Of Christians In The Middle East

NPR's Robert Siegel interviews Charles Sennott, author of The Body and the Blood: The Middle East's Vanishing Christians and the Possibility for Peace, and the executive director of The GroundTruth Project. Sennott talks about the history of Christian communities in the Middle East, and how so many of them are leaving the region.

'The Body And The Blood' Follows Exodus Of Christians In The Middle East

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'Destined For War' Explores How To Avoid Unnecessary Future Conflicts

NPR's Robert Siegel interviews Graham Allison, author of Destined for War: Can America and China Escape Thucydides's Trap?, about honoring the dead by avoiding unnecessary wars.

'Destined For War' Explores How To Avoid Unnecessary Future Conflicts

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'The Reminders' Is A Story About Memory

What does it mean to be remembered? It's the question at the heart of The Reminders, the debut novel from actor, musician, and now author Val Emmich. He joins NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro.

'The Reminders' Is A Story About Memory

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Shtum

In 'Shtum,' A Portrait Of Autism Drawn From Real Life

Jem Lester's debut novel follows three generations of men who can't communicate — a grandfather, a father and a profoundly autistic little boy. Lester says he modeled the boy on his own son.

In 'Shtum,' A Portrait Of Autism Drawn From Real Life

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'Praise The Lard': A Barbecue Legend Shows Us How To Master Smoked Chicken Wings

Mike and Amy Mills' famous smoked chicken wings, as prepared in Ari Shapiro's backyard. Ari Shapiro/NPR hide caption

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The Salt

'Praise The Lard': A Barbecue Legend Shows Us How To Master Smoked Chicken Wings

Mike Mills' chicken wings have been named the best in the country. He is even in the Barbecue Hall of Fame. His new book with daughter Amy Mills shares the gospel of barbecue with home cooks.

'Praise The Lard': A Barbecue Legend Shows Us How To Master Smoked Chicken Wings

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Larissa MacFarquhar: How Far Would You Go To Help Others?
TEDMED

TED Radio Hour

Larissa MacFarquhar: How Far Would You Go To Help Others?

Larissa MacFarquhar writes about extreme altruists, people who make great sacrifices to help others. She says most of us aren't prepared or willing to do that — which is why we don't give more.

Larissa MacFarquhar: How Far Would You Go To Help Others?

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Peter Singer: How Can We Be More Effective Altruists?
James Duncan Davidson/TED

TED Radio Hour

Peter Singer: How Can We Be More Effective Altruists?

Philosopher Peter Singer's work focuses on "effective altruism" — how to do the most good to make the world a better place. He argues effective giving involves balancing empathy with reason.

Peter Singer: How Can We Be More Effective Altruists?

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'Smile Stealers' Recalls A Time When Dentists Routinely Reached For The Pliers

Fresh Air

Medical historian Richard Barnett traces the history of dentistry in his new book. He says that prior to the 18th century, the profession was often practiced by charlatans with "big muscles."

'Smile Stealers' Recalls A Time When Dentists Routinely Reached For The Pliers

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My Life with Bob

The Week's Best Stories From NPR Books

'Times' Book Review Editor Shares Her Love Of Reading In 'My Life With Bob'

Fresh Air

Pamela Paul of The New York Times talks about her own new book, which chronicles every book she's read since she was 17 years old. Even if a work isn't great, she refuses to brush it aside cavalierly.

'Times' Book Review Editor Shares Her Love Of Reading In 'My Life With Bob'

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Churchill, Orwell And The Fight Against Totalitarianism

Fresh Air

Pulitzer prize-winning journalist Tom Ricks says the writings of Winston Churchill and George Orwell still resonate today. Ricks also discusses the generals serving in the Trump administration.

Churchill, Orwell And The Fight Against Totalitarianism

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Writes About His Friendship With Coach Wooden

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks to writer and sports legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar about his book, Coach Wooden and Me, about his 50-year relationship with his UCLA basketball coach John Wooden.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Writes About His Friendship With Coach Wooden

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The Education of Margot Sanchez

The Week's Best Stories From NPR Books

In 'Margot Sanchez,' A Teen Grows Up And Learns To Love The Bronx

Instead of going to the beach with her prep school friends, Margot is stuck working at her father's supermarket in the Bronx. Lilliam Rivera says her YA novel was inspired by her own Bronx childhood.

In 'Margot Sanchez,' A Teen Grows Up And Learns To Love The Bronx

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'Standard Deviation' Is A Story Of Marriage And Origami

A husband and wife are complete opposites. She's charming and effusive, he's a buttoned-down man of routine. Katherine Heiny tells NPR's Scott Simon about her first novel, Standard Deviation.

'Standard Deviation' Is A Story Of Marriage And Origami

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A Good Country

The Week's Best Stories From NPR Books

Leaving High School Behind For A Dangerous Life In 'A Good Country'

Laleh Khadivi's new novel traces the path of a young Muslim man in California, the son of strict Iranian immigrant parents, from his first bong hit at age 14 to his eventual radicalization.

Leaving High School Behind For A Dangerous Life In 'A Good Country'

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Sports

Baseball Player David Ortiz On Being 'Big Papi'

David Greene talks with legendary baseball player David Ortiz. His career includes three World Series wins with the Boston Red Sox. Ortiz retired in 2016 and is out with a new memoir.

Baseball Player David Ortiz On Being 'Big Papi'

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'The Color Of Law' Details How U.S. Housing Policies Created Segregation

NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with author Richard Rothstein about his new book, The Color of Law, which details how federal housing policies in the 1940s and '50s mandated segregation and undermined the ability of black families to own homes and build wealth.

'The Color Of Law' Details How U.S. Housing Policies Created Segregation

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Becoming Ms. Burton

After 6 Prison Terms, A Former Inmate Helps Other Women Rebuild Their Lives

Fresh Air

For Susan Burton, getting on track after being released from prison was a daunting experience. Now she's determined to help other women follow in her footsteps. Her new memoir is Becoming Ms. Burton.

After 6 Prison Terms, A Former Inmate Helps Other Women Rebuild Their Lives

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Grocery Stores: 'The Best Of America And The Worst Of America'

Author Michael Ruhlman says U.S. grocery stores represent extraordinary luxury that most Americans don't even think about. Kelly Jo Smart/NPR hide caption

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Kelly Jo Smart/NPR

The Salt

Grocery Stores: 'The Best Of America And The Worst Of America'

In his new book, Michael Ruhlman explores how and why Americans have changed from corner-store customers to insatiable consumers of every edible product at our fingertips.

Grocery Stores: 'The Best Of America And The Worst Of America'

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'The Captain Class' Defines The Greatest Sports Teams Ever Based On One Character

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with author Sam Walker about his book The Captain Class, which takes a look at the common qualities of elite athlete team leaders, and how they create winning teams.

'The Captain Class' Defines The Greatest Sports Teams Ever Based On One Character

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