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Author Interviews

When is forgetting normal — and when is it worrisome? A neuroscientist weighs in

Do you have trouble remembering names or where you put your keys? Neurologist Charan Ranganath, author of Why We Remember, talks about the science of memory. Originally broadcast Feb. 24, 2024.

When is forgetting normal — and when is it worrisome? A neuroscientist weighs in

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Shira Perlmutter is suing President Trump over her abrupt firing as the head of the Copyright Office.

Shira Perlmutter is suing President Trump over her abrupt firing as the head of the Copyright Office. Mariam Zuhaib/AP hide caption

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Mariam Zuhaib/AP

Culture

The U.S. Copyright Office used to be fairly low-drama. Not anymore

President Trump fired the head of the U.S. Copyright Office just after the agency released a major report on AI. Copyright insiders say it's caused a shakeup in their normally drama-free neck of the woods.

The U.S. Copyright Office used to be fairly low-drama. Not anymore

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Ocean Vuong's previous books include Time is a Mother and Night Sky with Exit Wounds.

Ocean Vuong's previous books include Time is a Mother and Night Sky with Exit Wounds. Gioncarlo Valentine/Penguin Random House hide caption

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Gioncarlo Valentine/Penguin Random House

Author Interviews

After his mother's death, Ocean Vuong wrote his way through grief

Vuong's new novel, The Emperor of Gladness, is the first he's written, from start to finish, since his mother died in 2019. He says writing it was a way to honor her memory.

After his mother's death, Ocean Vuong wrote his way out of grief

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How New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern broke the political mold

Former Prime Minister of New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern speaks during Cinema Cafe 2 during the 2025 Sundance Film Festival Awards. Maya Dehlin Spach/Getty Images hide caption

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Maya Dehlin Spach/Getty Images

Consider This from NPR

How New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern broke the political mold

Whether it was her history making win in 2017.

How New Zealand's Jacinda Ardern broke the political mold

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Edmund White at his home in 2019.

Edmund White at his home in 2019. Mary Altaffer/AP hide caption

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Mary Altaffer/AP

Obituaries

Edmund White, who broke ground in gay literature, has died at 85

Many of White's books chronicled his own experiences as a gay man, making an indelible impression on gay culture and how LGBTQ experiences were understood more broadly at the dawning of the AIDS health crisis.

Edmund White, who broke ground in gay literature, has died at 85

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Husband and wife team Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball co-starred in I Love Lucy from 1951 until 1957.

Husband and wife team Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball co-starred in I Love Lucy from 1951 until 1957. AP hide caption

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AP

Author Interviews

With 'I Love Lucy' and beyond, Desi Arnaz helped shaped TV as we know it

The success of I Love Lucy is often credited to Lucille Ball's comedic talent, but biographer Todd Purdum says Arnaz was more than just "second banana" to Lucy. He also helped shape the modern sitcom.

With 'I Love Lucy' and beyond, Desi Arnaz helped shaped TV as we know it

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Kenyan writer Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o was a champion of local African languages.

Kenyan writer Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o was a champion of local African languages. Shawn Miller/Library of Congress hide caption

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Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, Kenyan literary giant who fought colonialism, dies at 87

The Kenyan author championed local African languages and was imprisoned for his work. His name was often mentioned in discussions about the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Kenyan literary giant who fought colonialism, dies at 87

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Xi Jinping, left, with his father Xi Zhongxun in 1958.

Xi Jinping, left, with his father Xi Zhongxun in 1958. History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images hide caption

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History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Review

Author Interviews

In 'The Party's Interests Come First,' Joseph Torigian tries to understand Xi Jinping through his father

In his forthcoming book, The Party's Interests Come First, American University professor Joseph Torigian writes about Xi Jinping's father, Xi Zhongxun, a noted Chinese politician himself.

One researcher shares her experience studying and living with bipolar disorder

Two main treatment options for bipolar disorder include medication, like the mood stabilizer lithium, and therapy. woocat/Getty Images hide caption

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Short Wave

One researcher shares her experience studying and living with bipolar disorder

Around 40 million people around the world have bipolar disorder, which involves cyclical swings between moods: from depression to mania. Kay Redfield Jamison is one of those people. She's also a professor of psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and has written extensively about the topic, from medical textbooks to personal memoirs. Today on Short Wave, she joins us to talk about the diagnosis process, treating and managing bipolar disorder.

One researcher shares her experience studying and living with bipolar disorder

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