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The 50-Year-Old Classics You Should Listen To And Read Today

Marvin Gaye's 1971 album, What's Going On is regarded for its depiction of the social unrest of the time, as well as its musical beauty. Gems/Redferns/Getty Images hide caption

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Gems/Redferns/Getty Images

Pop Culture Happy Hour

The 50-Year-Old Classics You Should Listen To And Read Today

Back in 1971, Richard Nixon was president, the Beatles were newly broken up. But also, a new network called National Public Radio broadcast for the first time. In honor of the anniversary of NPR's first broadcast, this special edition of What's Making Us Happy This Week offers recommendations from 50 years ago.

The 50-Year-Old Classics You Should Listen To And Read Today

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The Rise And Fall Of WeWork
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The Indicator from Planet Money

The Rise And Fall Of WeWork

WeWork was one of the most valuable startups in the world, until it wasn't. Today we speak with journalist Maureen Farrell, who covered WeWork extensively and recently wrote a book on its history.

The Rise And Fall Of WeWork

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A Young Literary Star Makes His Posthumous Debut With 'Afterparties'

Writer Anthony Veasna So's debut short story collection, Afterparties, is being published after his death last December. Chris Sackes hide caption

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Chris Sackes

A Young Literary Star Makes His Posthumous Debut With 'Afterparties'

Writer Anthony Veasna So was a rising figure in the literary scene until he died in December. His stories captured the fullness of queer, Cambodian American life.

A Young Literary Star Makes His Posthumous Debut With 'Afterparties'

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Given The Choice Between Prison Life And Fighting Wildfires, These Women Chose Fire
MCD

Author Interviews

Given The Choice Between Prison Life And Fighting Wildfires, These Women Chose Fire

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with writer Jaime Lowe about her new book, Breathing Fire, which tells the stories of the incarcerated women who are part of California's wildfire crews.

Given The Choice Between Prison Life And Fighting Wildfires, These Women Chose Fire

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Why Sweat Is A Human Superpower
Cavan Images/Getty Images

Shots - Health News

Why Sweat Is A Human Superpower

Sweat is an "evolutionary marvel," says Sarah Everts, the author of The Joy of Sweat. In her new book, Everts delves into the science of perspiration and how this trait has enabled humans to thrive.

Why Sweat Is A Human Superpower

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David Bowie, Travis Scott Inspired The Poems In This New Collection

Adrian Matejka Polina Osherov hide caption

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Polina Osherov

Author Interviews

David Bowie, Travis Scott Inspired The Poems In This New Collection

Poet Adrian Matejka used to be a DJ — and when he got stuck in pandemic-induced misery, it was music that lifted him up and helped him finish writing his latest book, Somebody Else Sold the World.

David Bowie, Travis Scott Inspired The Poems In This New Collection

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YA Lit: A Guide For The Perplexed — And The Just Plain Curious
Becky Harlan/NPR

Life Kit

YA Lit: A Guide For The Perplexed — And The Just Plain Curious

Whether you're a longtime fan or just thinking about how and where to get started in YA, we've got you covered with some recommendations, some thoughts about what YA is and is not, and some things to look for as you wade into the inviting but turbulent waters of Young Adult fiction.

YA Lit: A Guide For The Perplexed — And The Just Plain Curious

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To Love And Not Forgive

Somebody's Daughter, by Ashley C. Ford. Sylvie Rosokoff/Flatiron hide caption

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Sylvie Rosokoff/Flatiron

Code Switch

To Love And Not Forgive

For much of her childhood, Ashley Ford's father was incarcerated, and her mother struggled to raise her while grappling with her own upended life plans. In her new memoir, Somebody's Daughter, Ford looks at how her upbringing shaped her understanding of childhood, authority, forgiveness and freedom.

To Love And Not Forgive

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Nudge Vs Shove: A Conversation With Richard Thaler
Scott Olson/Getty Images

The Indicator from Planet Money

Nudge Vs Shove: A Conversation With Richard Thaler

Nobel Prize laureate Richard Thaler is a rockstar in the world of economics. His book Nudge introduced many of us to the field of behavioral economics and how it could be used in public policy. Today we speak with Professor Thaler on his latest and final edition of Nudge, and go beyond nudge to the land of sludging and shoving.

Nudge Vs Shove: A Conversation With Richard Thaler

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One Woman Takes A 'Wayward' Approach To Menopause In This Smart New Novel
Penguin Random House

Review

Book Reviews

One Woman Takes A 'Wayward' Approach To Menopause In This Smart New Novel

Fresh Air

Messy and floundering in late midlife, Dana Spiotta's heroine is roiling — along with the rest of the country — amid the 2016 election and the rise of the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements.

One Woman Takes A 'Wayward' Approach To Menopause In This Smart New Novel

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Think Of Your COVID-19 Vaccine Like A Very Good Raincoat, Says Dr. Leana Wen

Dr. Leana Wen is in favor of COVID-19 vaccine mandates. "I don't think that people should have the choice to infect others with a potentially fatal and extremely contagious virus," she says. Wen is pictured above in the emergency department at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston on Aug. 14, 2012. Steven Senne/AP hide caption

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Steven Senne/AP

Shots - Health News

Think Of Your COVID-19 Vaccine Like A Very Good Raincoat, Says Dr. Leana Wen

Fresh Air

It protects from drizzles and thunderstorms but not a hurricane. In other words, if you are exposed again and again to infected people, there's some risk you could get sick.

Think Of Your COVID-19 Vaccine Like A Very Good Raincoat, Says Dr. Leana Wen

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