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Join The New York Public Library and your favorite writers, artists, and thinkers for smart talks and provocative conversations from the nation’s cultural capital.

The New York Public Library


    • Jun 23, 2019 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 1h 3m AVG DURATION
    • 278 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Library Talks

    Stonewall 50: The Sound of Memory

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2019 49:25


    The Stonewall Riots were a flash point in LGBTQ history. After the riots that took place at the Stonewall Inn in June 1969, the LGBTQ civil rights movement went from handfuls of pioneering activists to a national movement mobilizing thousands. On this special episode we’ll hear what happened over the nights of the riots through archival audio of iconic transgender rights activists Sylvia Rivera, Marsha P. Johnson, and Miss Major Griffin-Gracy. NYPL's Jason Baumann returns for an interview with pioneering photojournalist and gay rights activist Kay Tobin Lahusen. Plus stories from Eric Marcus' podcast Making Gay History, and the story of Stormé DeLarverie from the archives at The Schomburg Center.  Also mentioned: 'The Stonewall Reader' The exhibit 'Love & Resistance: Stonewall 50' Barbara Gittings and Kay Tobin Lahusen Photographs and Papers NYC Trans Oral History Project, including Miss Major's full length interview For more, listen to our previous episode “Before Stonewall” including an interview with writer and curator Hugh Ryan about his new book "When Brooklyn was Queer."         

    Before Stonewall

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 16, 2019 60:36


    Aidan Flax-Clark welcomes co-host Jason Baumann, Assistant Director for Collection Development and Coordinator of Humanities and the Library’s LGBTQ Initiative, for a special episode about queer life before the Stonewall Riots.  Frank Collerius, Manager of the Jefferson Market branch at NYPL, interviews writer and curator Hugh Ryan about his new book 'when brooklyn was queer.' We also hear a reading of 'The How and Why of Virginia,' the personal story of Virginia Prince, the founder and editor of the magazine 'Transvestia,' read by actor LeLand Gantt. Next week we'll hear what happened during those few days at the Stonewall Inn in 1969 from iconic transgender rights activists Sylvia Rivera, Marsha P. Johnson, and Miss Major. Jason Baumann returns for an interview with pioneering photojournalist and gay rights activist Kay Tobin Lahusen. Plus stories from Eric Marcus' podcast 'Making Gay History' and a story from the archives at The Schomburg Center. Also mentioned: -'The Stonewall Reader' -The exhibit 'Love & Resistance: Stonewall 50' Special Thanks to: The Transgender Archives at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada for use of Virginia Prince's story.

    Marlon James Gets Nerdy with Kevin Young

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2019 54:21


    Marlon James is a Jamaican novelist and winner of the Man Booker Prize. His recent book Black Leopard, Red Wolf is the first in a epic trilogy that blends myth, fantasy, and history—what James has described as "African Game of Thrones." He spoke with fellow fantasy and comic book fan, Kevin Young, who is a poet and the Director for the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. They talked about James' two years of research for the series, map making, Afrofuturism, and books they love, while unleashing their inner nerd.

    A History of the Queer Press

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 2, 2019 63:55


    The Gay Liberation Front was an organization recognized for publishing the first gay liberation newspaper in the world,"Come Out!". It provided openly queer media exposure for many activists, writers, and artists. In conjunction with the NYPL exhibition Love & Resistance: Stonewall 50, founding members of the GLF, Perry Brass and Karla Jay, speak with media and activism scholar Michael Bronski, and Kathy Tu and Tobin Low, co-hosts of WNYC Studios’ podcast Nancy. They discussed the fight for inclusion in the media, the rise of the queer press in the 1960s and 70s, and the lasting impact of its legacy.

    Erin Lee Carr and Ta-Nehisi Coates Remember David Carr

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2019 54:10


    Documentary filmmaker Erin Lee Carr remembers her father, legendary journalist David Carr, in a moving new memoir, "All That You Leave Behind." Erin Lee Carr, went looking for support and comfort in the lifetime of correspondence that they had shared. She was also looking for clues—advice the famous mentor, journalist, and father might have to offer on how to cope with her devastating loss, and continue on with her life and career. Erin Lee Carr will be joined by one of her father’s admiring mentees, Ta-Nehisi Coates, to discuss the legacy David Carr has left for his family, the journalistic community, and readers at large.

    How Robert Caro Writes About Power and the Powerless

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2019 60:59


    At age 83, Robert Caro pulls back the curtains on his process, in his new book "Working." He also answers the question he is asked most often: why does it take him so long to write his books? Caro is the author of the Robert Moses biography "The Power Broker" and "The Years of Lyndon Johnson," The biographer, who has spent much time doing what he does best in the Allen Room of The New York Public Library, returns to share some stories of his own with William P. Kelly, The New York Public Library’s Andrew W. Mellon Director of the Research Libraries.

    Breaking New Ground with Dr. Carla Hayden and Tracy K. Smith

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2019 45:26


    Dr. Carla Hayden is the 14th Librarian of Congress, the first African American and the first woman to hold this position. Tracy K. Smith is the 22nd Poet Laureate of the United States, and Director and Professor of Creative Writing at Princeton University. In a conversation with Schomburg Director, Kevin Young they discussed their work, the future of Black librarianship and the democratization of libraries

    Jill Abramson and Jane Mayer's Insider Take on the News

    Play Episode Listen Later May 5, 2019 59:57


    The former executive editor of "The New York Times" tells the story of the news industry in  her new book "Merchants of Truth."  Jill Abramson traces the past ten years of four major news outlets and their prospective futures in the face of rapidly changing technologies, shifting business models, and a president who almost daily assails the mainstream media as fake news. She spoke with long-time friend and colleague, investigative reporter Jane Mayer.

    Eliza Griswold Uncovers the Human Cost of Fracking

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2019 46:50


    Journalist, Eliza Griswold just won a Pulitzer Prize and a Bernstein Award for her recent book,"Amity and Prosperity: One Family and the Fracturing of America." Even at its most basic level, the book is a fascinating story about the energy boom's relationship to the natural land. But it's also a moving portrait of a family—a resolute mother trying to care for her two children, sickened by the fracking fallout. Griswold sat down with NYPL's Gwen Glazer to talk about the making of this story, immersion journalism, and where things stand in rural America today. 

    Shane Bauer's Undercover Reporting from Inside a Private Prison

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2019 45:25


    Going undercover as a prison guard in Winnifield, Louisiana, journalist Shane Bauer exposes the brutality of for-profit private prison systems, and this country's history of outsourcing criminal punishment in his book "American Prison." This stunning work recently won NYPL's 2019 Bernstein Award for Excellence in Journalism. In this conversation with Aidan Flax-Clark, Bauer discusses the making of this book, the dangers of private prisons in the U.S., and his personal difficulties balancing his identities as a prison guard and reporter.

    Emily Bazelon and Stacey Abrams talk Criminal Justice Reform

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2019 77:38


    In the search for meaningful criminal justice reform, are prosecutors one of the keys to change? In her new book, "Charged," journalist  Emily Bazelon argues that prosecutors play an "outsize role" in mass incarceration -- from choosing the charge to setting bail to determining the plea bargain. To discuss the issue, Bazelon was joined by Stacey Abrams, a lawyer, novelist and politician who in 2018 campaigned for criminal justice reform as a candidate in a historic race for governor in Georgia. 

    Bending Reality with G. Willow Wilson

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2019 52:53


    G. Willow Wilson is a critically acclaimed novelist and co-creator of the first Muslim superhero with their own Marvel comic book series. Wilson's new book, The Bird King, is the story of a fantastical quest through the Iberian peninsula at the height of the Spanish Inquisition. She read from the novel and spoke with Hugo award-winning writer N. K. Jemisin about the power of imagining different worlds and how writing fantasy can expose reality.

    Janet Napolitano Explains Homeland Security with Joe Biden

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2019 62:40


    Few people understand the state of our national security as well as Janet Napolitano and Joe Biden. Napolitano, former Dept. of Homeland Security Secretary and the first appointed by President Obama, has written about the subject in her new book,"How Safe Are We?" She spoke with Vice President Joe Biden, who—in addition to being Barack Obama's Vice President— chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and sat on the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security. “Homeland security is not only the job of the secretary or of the 240,000 professionals who work for the department,” says Napolitano, “it is everyone’s responsibility.”

    Still Cringing After 'Cat Person'

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2019 35:02


    When "Cat Person" appeared in "The New Yorker" in December 2017, it quickly became a viral hit, striking a chord with readers at the height of the #MeToo Movement. People seemed surprised by the Internet popularity of a long form fiction story—including its author, Kristen Roupenian. "You Know You Want This" is Roupenian's highly anticipated debut collection of stories that, like "Cat Person," dwells in discomfort and is compulsively readable. "The New Yorker"'s fiction editor, Deborah Treisman, joined her for a conversation about why she chose "Cat Person" from a stack of other submissions, Roupenian's new book and plans for an upcoming horror film.

    Paperback Crushin'

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2019 37:45


    The 1970s are sometimes hailed as the true dawn of young-adult literature, the decade when authors like Judy Blume and Lois Lowry showed that teen readers were worth taking seriously. Decades later, J.K. Rowling revolutionized YA, permanently broadening its appeal to adults. But teen fiction of the '80s and '90s is often ignored. Bustle editor and writer Gabrielle Moss has a soft spot in her heart for what she calls the genre's "intellectual dead zone"—the era of The Baby-sitters Club, Sweet Valley High, and so many more girl-centered series. In this interview with NYPL's Gwen Glazer, Moss discusses her new book "Paperback Crush," which makes the case for why the YA fiction of the '80s and '90s shouldn't be overlooked, and why it's so much fun to revisit.

    Frankenstein: Our Dark Mirror

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2019 54:01


    Over 200 years ago, a teenage girl started a literary legacy that continues to haunt us today. Why do we still keep telling this story and how does it reflect our darkest fears? The New York Public Library's curators join monster theory scholars and best-selling authors to trace the history of Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Shelley’s classic. This special podcast episode unpacks the genius of Shelley’s novel, its origins and evolution—from the British Romantics to Black Lives Matter—to uncover how the story helps us better understand ourselves, our humanity, and our future.      

    Marilynne Robinson: Liberalism and American Tradition Pt. II

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2019 46:52


    This week we're featuring part two of Marilynne Robinson's lecture on American society, government and economy titled "Liberalism and American Tradition." Robinson discusses our country's Puritan history  and how society constructs value, referencing a number of political philosophers and social reformers.

    Marilynne Robinson: Liberalism and American Tradition Pt. I

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2019 45:04


    Marilynne Robinson is one of the most celebrated American writers—she won a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and was awarded a National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama, to name just a few of her accolades. She recently delivered a lecture on American Civilization and Government titled "Liberalism and American Tradition," which traces the origins of liberalism. Part two of the lecture will be released next week.  

    How to Make Black Lives Matter at School

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2019 53:45


    Despite the fact that New York City is one of the most diverse places in the country our school system is among the most segregated. As part of the nationwide campaign, Black Lives Matter at School Week, Schomburg Center's Associate Director of Education, Brian Jones organized a panel about this issue and how to challenge structural racism in schools. Featuring award-winning journalist, Nikole Hannah-Jones, public school teacher José Vilson, and two NYC high school student activists Xoya David and Joshua Brown.    

    Envisioning 'A People's Future of the United States'

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2019 43:04


    Howard Zinn’s seminal 1980 work "A People’s History of the United States" challenged dominant narratives of our country’s past by uncovering its darker truths; nearly 40 years later, a new collection of speculative fiction, "A People’s Future of the United States" challenges our visions of tomorrow. Like Zinn's work, this collection of stories centers on the experiences of traditionally marginalized communities. The collection's co-editor, Victor LaValle, speaks with four contributors— Maria Dahvana Headley, N.K. Jemisin, Alice Sola Kim, and Sam J. Miller—about the fantasies and projections for the future of the country.

    Jason Rezaian's 544 Days in an Iranian Prison

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2019 45:14


    Jason Rezaian is an American journalist and author of a new memoir. In 2014, while reporting in Tehran for the Washington Post , he was arrested and wrongfully convicted of espionage by Iranian authorities. Rezaian recounts his experience in "Prisoner: My 544 Days in an Iranian Prison—Solitary Confinement, a Sham Trial, High-Stakes Diplomacy, and the Extraordinary Efforts It Took to Get Me Out." Rezaian sat down with New Yorker editor David Remnick for a conversation about his experience, the books he read in prison that were most comforting, and his experience coming home after incarceration.

    american prison washington post new yorker iranians tehran get me out david remnick jason rezaian rezaian iranian prison solitary confinement extraordinary efforts it took
    The Banished Immortal

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2019 53:10


    Internationally bestselling author Ha Jin discussed his latest book—a new biography about legendary eighth-century Chinese poet, Li Bai. Ha Jin read some of the poet's lesser known works, and described  Li’s unconventional lifestyle which he researched for his book, "The Banished Immortal." From the poet’s life-long interests in swordsmanship and celestial bodies, to his excessive drinking, rumors of manslaughter, and the numerous myths about is death—Ha Jin sheds new light on the poet and why he is still loved today. 

    Seeing and Being Seen in Sally Wen Mao's 'Oculus'

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2019 44:29


    Sally Wen Mao is the author of "Oculus," a collection of poems that explores sight and being seen, futuristic worlds and historical figures. She completed this collection during her Cullman Center Fellowship at NYPL in 2016-2017.​ In conversation with fellow poet, Jenny Xie, Mao shared some of the archival materials she used in her research, including those of the first Chinese American actress Anna May Wong. They discussed Asian American futurism, representation in Hollywood, and how a Solange concert at the Guggenheim inspired one of her poems.

    Maria Popova's A Velocity of Being

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2019 69:18


    Maria Popova & Claudia Bedrick curated an anthology of letters and original illustrations by 121 of the most interesting and inspiring culture-makers alive today. "A Velocity of Being," Popova's project that was eight years in the making, asked each contributor to write a letter to a young reader about the power of reading. To celebrate the book’s release, contributors took to the stage at The New York Public Library to share what they wrote. Featured readings and performances by: Jad Abumrad, Sophie Blackall, Alexander Chee, Mohammed Fairouz, Adam Gopnik, Paul Holdengräber, Sarah Kay, Dawn Landes,  Morley, Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie, and Naomi Wolf.  All proceeds from "A Velocity of Being" will benefit the public libraries of New York City. Read more about the book on Brain Pickings. 

    Satirizing America in 'Friday Black'

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 6, 2019 41:11


    Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah sheds light on a modern day America full of racial violence, greed, and heartbreak in his debut collection of short stories, "Friday Black." Focusing on the struggles of young black men and women, his characters fight to survive with their humanity intact. In conversation with writer Mychal Denzel Smith, Adjei-Brenyah discuses his approach to writing satire, the perils of capitalism, and how to stay hopeful while creating dystopian fiction.

    The Librarian Is In with Eric Klinenberg

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2018 52:06


    Our friends from NYPL's The Librarian Is In podcast recorded their first-ever live episode, featuring NYU sociologist and author Eric Klinenberg. His new book "Palaces for the People" looks at how shared public spaces like gardens, child-care centers, and—yep, you guessed it—libraries are essential to maintaining a healthy democratic society. Klinenberg talks about his research at NYPL's Seward Park branch, social infrastructure, and what books he's reading with podcast hosts and librarians, Gwen and Frank.

    Neil Gaiman Reads "A Christmas Carol" (Rebroadcast)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 19, 2018 77:27


    To celebrate the 175th anniversary of the Dickens' classic, we're rebroadcasting this very special reading by writer and comic book author, Neil Gaiman. His live performance from 2013 uses a rare prompt copy that belonged to Charles Dickens himself and now resides in The New York Public Library. Dickens marked it up and annotated it for the express purpose of performing the story in front of an audience, which he did regularly in the 1850s and 1860s.

    A Reporting Life in Latin America

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2018 51:52


    Award-winning journalist Alma Guillermoprieto delivered this year's annual Robert B. Silvers lecture, a series named in honor of the co-founding editor of The New York Review of Books. In her lecture titled  “Among the Drug Dealers, Criminals, Rapists: A Reporting Life in Latin America,” Guillermoprieto shares insights from her 40 years of experience. Born in Mexico, Guillermoprieto came to New York in 1965 to join the Martha Graham dance studio. By the late 1970s, she had left dance to cover the Central American civil wars as a journalist. Since then she has written extensively about Latin America for The New Yorker, The New York Review of Books, and National Geographic. 

    Magical Realism with Wayétu Moore

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 9, 2018 41:34


    Wayétu Moore's debut novel explores African diasporic identity through historical fiction and magical realism. In a conversation with Buzzfeed writer, Isaac Fitzgerald, Moore talks about the stories behind her new book "She Would Be King":  the history of her native Liberia and the childhood stories her family used to tell her. Moore says, "I grew up hearing stories that always included someone disappearing or shapeshifting or casting a spell...when I moved to America these things were relegated to Disney, but back home, that just wasn't the case."

    John McPhee's Album Quilt

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2018 92:37


    In his seventh collection of essays, The Patch, master non-fiction writer John McPhee shares a montage of stories and reflections that range from a visit to the Hershey chocolate factory to encounters with Oscar Hammerstein, Joan Baez, and Mount Denali. Calling on his signature devotion to structure, McPhee has winnowed this body of work to present a random assembly he calls an “album quilt,” a memoir as only he could write it. He spoke with Paul Holdengräber about the arc of his life and career. 

    How Congress Really Works...Or Doesn't

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2018 71:32


    Wyatt Cenac moderates a panel of Washington insiders and journalists  about the mechanics of Congress, the archetypes for today's lawmakers, and advice on how constituents can ensure their representatives take action. Featuring Washington Post senior congressional correspondent Paul Kane and ProPublica's Derek Willis, Stevens Institute of Technology assistant professor of political science Lindsay Cormack, When We All Vote communications director and former Congressional Black Caucus staffer Stephanie L. Young,  and James Wallner, R Street senior fellow and former congressional staffer,

    James Baldwin's Children's Book

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2018 45:06


    Did you know that when James Baldwin was writing "If Beale Street Could Talk" he was also writing a children's book? "Little Man, Little Man" was inspired by his young nephew and was first published in 1976. At the time, it got mixed reviews, went out of print and was largely forgotten. But 40 years later, that book has been republished. Baldwin's niece and nephew, Aisha Karefa-Smart and Tejan "TJ" Karefa-Smart stopped by the Schomburg for Research in Black Culture to talk about their childhood and memories of their uncle. Joining them were the co-editors of the new edition of the book, Jennifer DeVere Brody and Nicholas Boggs. Their conversation was moderated by author and National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, Jacqueline Woodson.

    Susan Orlean's Ode to Libraries

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2018 74:22


    More than 30 years after a fire destroyed 400,000 books at the Los Angeles Public Library's Central Library,  journalist Susan Orlean re-examines the tragedy in "The Library Book." Orlean has been a staff writer at The New Yorker since 1992; her quest to piece together the events surrounding this little-known tale was fueled by her relentless curiosity, a love of reading, and a profound appreciation for the democratic institution of the library. "Libraries are remembering for a whole culture," she said. "That's what books do for all of us—preserve memory."

    A History of Voter Suppression with Carol Anderson

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2018 81:32


    Carol Anderson is an historian, educator, and author of "White Rage." Her latest book, "One Person, No Vote," is a timely survey of how voting rights have been rolled back in this country following the 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder. Dr. Anderson's work exposes racially biased voter suppression methods happening today. Joining Dr. Anderson was Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad, a professor of History, Race and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School and former Director of the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

    A Modern-day Gothic Horror Story

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2018 45:10


    The bestselling English novelist of "The Essex Serpent," Sarah Perry, stopped by the Library to talk about her newest novel,"Melmoth." The books origins lie in an obscure 19th-century Gothic novel of the same name and an illness that upended her life. She discussed how the earlier novel and her personal experiences combined to birth the phantasmagoric nightmare at the heart of Melmoth's plot.

    Making Movements Intersectional

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2018 55:47


    Darnell L. Moore and Charlene Carruthers are two dynamic leaders and organizers committed to intersectional liberation in movements for Black lives. They are also friends and writers. Moore and Carruthers recently spoke at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and read from each other's recent works: Moore's debut memoir "No Ashes in the Fire: Coming of Age Black and Free", and Carruthers's "Unapologetic: A Black, Queer, & Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements."

    Why Men Fight with Thomas Page McBee

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2018 44:19


    While training for a charity boxing match at Madison Square Garden, writer Thomas Page McBee gained insight into how masculinity operates in the ring and in society— McBee became the first known trans man to box in the historic venue. He stopped by the Library to talk about this experience, the subject of his new book Amateur: A True Story About What Makes a Man.  Amanda Hess, a critic-at-large for the New York Times joined McBee to discuss the meaning of toxic masculinity,violence, and what it means to be a "real man."

    Righteous Rage with Rebecca Traister

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 7, 2018 52:29


    In her new book, "Good and Mad" Rebecca Traister uncovers the history of women's anger in American politics—from the suffragettes to #MeToo. She argues that this collective fury is often the hidden force that drives political change, but rarely has it ever been hailed as fundamentally transformative or patriotic. To discuss her book and what it says about our current political state, Traister was joined by Aminatou Sow, co-host of the podcast "Call Your Girlfriend." 

    The Secret Memoir of Bill Cunningham

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2018 53:37


    When famed fashion and society photographer Bill Cunningham died in 2016, he left behind not only an incredible archive of New York Times columns and photographs, but two identical copies of a secret memoir that he apparently hoped someone would find. His family discovered the book, which Cunningham himself titled Fashion Climbing. The Library celebrated its release with the book’s editor, Christopher Richards, and New Yorker critic Hilton Als, who wrote its preface. They were joined by artist and co-founder of Paper, Kim Hastreiter, who was a close acquaintance of the late photographer. 

    The Elite Charade of Changing the World

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 23, 2018 47:24


    The world’s leading philanthropists are constantly working to “make the world a better place,” leading passionate campaigns against everything from climate change to poverty that had once been the province of governments. Journalist Anand Giridharadas asks whether those rich and powerful people who have most benefitted from “our highly inequitable status quo” are in fact the best candidates to take on these challenges. When are their solutions democratic and universal, and when do they reflect and support the biases that introduced the inequity in the first place? In conversation with Joy-Ann Reid, political analyst for MSNBC and host of “AM Joy,” Giridharadas discussed his new book, “Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World,” a call to action—for elite and everyday citizens alike—to build more egalitarian institutions.

    Looking for the Real Lolita

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 16, 2018 42:44


    Vladimin Nabokov's "Lolita" is one of the most widely-read classics of twentieth century; however, few are familiar with the true story of an eleven-year-old-girl named Sally Horner, whose story bears an eerie resemblance to that of Nabokov's Dolores Hayes. In "The Real Lolita: The Kidnapping of Sally Horner and the Novel that Scandalized the World," author Sarah Weinman traces the connections between these two girls and their stories. Weinman stopped by NYPL to revisit her research using the Nabokov Papers that question the role of facts within fiction.

    Notes from the Reading Life: Tim Gunn and Min Jin Lee

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2018 54:04


    Tim Gunn is the Emmy Award-winning former producer of "Project Runway," where for 16 seasons he mentored contestants with charm and care. But when he isn’t busy making it work, chances are he has his nose in a book. In a live conversation series presented in collaboration with the National Book Foundation, Gunn spoke about some of the most powerful books in his life, the reads that have stayed with him since his early teens. His conversation partner: fellow avid reader—and best-selling novelist—Min Jin Lee, whose most recent book, Pachinko, was a finalist for the National Book Award.

    The Untold Story of the Up Stairs Lounge Fire

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2018 56:53


    Before the Pulse Nightclub shooting in 2016, there was The Up Stairs Lounge fire. Author Robert Fieseler sets the largely overlooked tragedy of the Up Stairs Lounge arson that killed 32 people in its rightful historical place with "Tinderbox:The Untold Story of The Up Stairs Lounge Fire and the Rise of Gay Liberation." The 1973 mass murder dragged a closeted, blue-collar gay community into the national public eye, that shortly after was forgotten—until now. Fieseler discussed how he discovered this story, his research in New Orleans, and other findings in his book with Eric Marcus, creator and host of the award-winning book and podcast "Making Gay History."

    Coming This Sunday: New Name, New Look

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2018 1:35


    Exciting news! Starting next episode, "The New York Public Library Podcast" will be renamed "Library Talks." We'll still be featuring the same public talks recorded live at NYPL with today's top writers and thinkers—we're just updating with a new logo, name, and release date. Weekly episodes will now be released Sunday mornings to round out the weekend and inspire you for the week ahead. Stay tuned for the new changes in your feed this Sunday September 2nd! Questions or comments? You can contact us at podcasts@nypl.org

    There's No Such Thing As Now

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2018 52:53


    Carlo Rovelli is an Italian theoretical physicist. In his new book, The Order of Time,  Rovelli asks "Why do we remember the past and not the future…What ties time to our nature as persons, to our subjectivity?" Rovelli is the head of the Quantum Gravity group at the Centre de Physique Théorique of Aix-Marseille University and has devoted his life's work to understanding what time might truly be. Author and philosopher, Jim Holt spoke with Rovelli about the past, future, and why there isn't exactly a "now."

    Two Sisters' Path Toward Radical Islam

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 14, 2018 51:58


    Norwegian journalist Åsne Seierstad's most recent book, Two Daughters: A Father, his Daughters, and their Journey into the Syrian Jihad, is a heart-pounding thriller tracing the radicalization of two teenage girls. In 2013, the two Somali youth abandoned their family and their adopted home in Oslo to travel into Syria and become part of a jihadist movement. As soon as they disappeared, their father dedicated his existence to finding them and bringing them home. Seierstad explains the family narrative, her sources, and the ethical concerns of telling their complicated story. The best way to support this podcast is with a gift to The New York Public Library. Click here to donate.

    Chronicling Illness with Porochista Khakpour and Eileen Myles

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 7, 2018 59:05


    For as far back as she can remember, writer Porochista Khakpour has been sick. She was recently diagnosed with late-stage Lyme disease and has written her first memoir about her illness, Sick. Khakpour sat down with one of her literary heroes Eileen Myles for a conversation about her experience with the disease and how it has affected her as a writer, activist, and lover of New York City. Khakpour says "it's a diaristic book and I wanted there to be a lot of honesty... a lot of capturing myself, not at my best but at my worst." The best way to support this podcast is with a gift to The New York Public Library. Click here to donate.

    Love and Lanyards with Billy Collins

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2018 60:25


    Former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins stopped by the Library earlier this Spring to read some of his work, share a few tips on the creative process, and land a few jokes. He sat down with Paul Holdengräber for a conversation about their favorite writers and his career, from the back pages of Rolling Stone magazine to the Library of Congress. Plus, Collins reads some of his recent work. The best way to support this podcast is with a gift to The New York Public Library. Click here to donate.

    Literacy is a Human Right with The World in Words Podcast

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2018 46:03


    Earlier this spring, our friends from The World in Words Podcast recorded a live show at NYPL's very own Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library. The podcast, hosted by  is about languages and the people who speak them. For this special episode, hosts Nina Porzucki and Patrick Cox shared stories about the history of Braille, why whale calls go viral like pop songs, and the difficulties of preserving languages in the U.S. through generations.  Subscribe to The World in Words Podcast  

    Roxane Gay and Aja Monet Tell Their Truth

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2018 59:50


    Roxane Gay's latest book, "Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture," is a collection of first-person essays that directly tackle rape, sexual assault and harassment. With writer and organizer, Aja Monet, Gay discusses how their stories fit into the national conversation about sexual assault, the pitfalls of the #MeToo Movement, the pressure to "perform one's trauma," and the complex work that still needs to be done towards healing and justice. 

    Remembering to Listen with Arundhati Roy & Viet Thanh Nguyen

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2018 60:24


    Twenty years after Arundhati Roy won the Booker Prize for "The God of Small Things," she returned to writing fiction in 2017 with her novel "The Ministry of Utmost Happiness." The book was hailed for its ability to juggle “the vast, violent, circling, driving, ridiculous, insane, unfeasible, public turmoil of a nation.” Roy spoke with Viet Thanh Nguyen, whose novel "The Sympathizer" won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2016. Together they discussed Roy's life before she became a writer, the relationships between writing and political activism, plus Roy reads from "The Ministry of Utmost Happiness."

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