We know the lives of cops from TV shows, movies, and maybe an uncle who retired from the squad, but those versions are rarely true to police officers' real struggles. A chat with former cop and lauded storyteller Laurie Lynn Drummond about life behind a Louisiana badge.
It's easy for twenty-somethings to believe their lives are monumental and truly complex, but what if it's true? A conversation with first-time novelist Francesca Delbanco about the pleasures of Los Angeles, solidarity in friends, and going nuts in Montana.
Living in three dimensions can be hard enough, but 10? More than 10? Our man in Boston engages physicist and author Brian Greene in a fascinating conversation about string theory, science writing, and the type of nightmares that haunt contemporary physicists.
The U.S. understanding of Cuba often begins with embargoes and ends with Castro trying out for the Yankees. A conversation with Cuban author Ana Menendez on Fidel, Che, and fomenting passionate revolutions.
Understanding ourselves better may be the key to getting better. A conversation with writer and physician Rafael Campo on the role literature and expression play in the healing process, and what's being done about it.
The next time your imperfect car breaks down perfectly, remember, someone designed it that way. Our man in N.H. talks to author and former engineer Henry Petroski about the effects of design in our lives.
The dead may know Brooklyn, but it's the living who make it. Author Jonathan Lethem talks about his new book, how to handle savage reviews, and the process of remembering his hometown from far away.
To win the Booker Prize twice certainly requires talent, but to celebrate only one of the winnings suggests a particular madness. A conversation with author Peter Carey about his new book, private schools in New York, and the terrors found in boredom.
Being the most hated man in literature isn't easy, but it helps to have a backbone of lauded novels behind you, plus an actual hatchet for publicity stunts.
For many, Anne Garrels's voice became the most trustworthy stream of information broadcast from Iraq. A frank discussion with the author and NPR Iraq correspondent, one of only 16 non-embedded journalists to remain in Baghdad for Operation Shock and Awe.
