Indian-American novelist Tania James has won acclaim for fiction that spans continents and takes bold leaps. She shares an excerpt of her new novel, told from the perspective of an elephant, in crisis.
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One Very Silly Video Along Tracee Ellis Ross’ Journey to Self-Acceptance
Actor Tracee Ellis Ross has won scads of new fans playing a mom on the hit sitcom "Black-ish." Tracee tells us a story about her real-life mother, music legend Diana Ross, and about the time when she began to find her own voice(s).
Maz Jobrani Tells Jokes Without Borders
Maz Jobrani has built a career as an actor and stand-up comedian, in spite of a Hollywood system that attempted to limit him to roles as a terrorist villain. He has written a memoir about that experience, "I'm Not a Terrorist but I've Played One on TV: Memoirs of a Middle Eastern Funny Man."
Tracee Ellis Ross – “Fridge Tree”
Tracee Ellis Ross of "Black-ish" gives us a joke that is blue and white. She stopped by to tell a story about how she has been doing this comedy thing for a while.
A Touching Investigation — of Touch
In his new book, "Touch: The Science of Hand, Heart, and Mind," Johns Hopkins neuroscientist David J. Linden investigates the human sense of touch, how physical stimuli are translated into sub-conscious emotional responses, and the surprising things we don't fully understand about this essential sense.
Kelly Link Introduces Her Ghost Boyfriend
Kelly Link's magical-realist stories have earned comparisons to Kafka, the Brothers Grimm, and Alice Munro. She has won a slew of sci-fi literature awards and the O. Henry Prize. She reads an excerpt from a story in her brand-new collection, "Get in Trouble."
Making the Distinction Between Etiquette and Ethics with The Posts
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we invite back our etiquette loves, Lizzie Post and Daniel Post Senning. They remind us that, in ethics and etiquette, it is not enough to not look bad, the goal is to actually be good (even if it might be easier said than done).
‘Awkward Black Girl’ Issa Rae Guides Us Through Hairy Situations
Now in its second season, the award-winning "The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl" is a web video series created by and starring Issa Rae, which has been viewed over twenty million times by adoring fans who identify with her quirky everygirl character's attempts to navigate love, work, and life. Ms. Rae's sensibility has now taken the form of a book of the same name, from which she reads us a passage.
Issa Rae – “More Culture”
Issa Rae shares a joke which combines art, culture, and food, so obviously we approve.
Miranda July’s First Novel Finds a Careful System at Risk
Miranda July's creativity comes in many forms. She's an esteemed contemporary artist, a maker of widely seen films, and a bestselling author. Her latest book, "The First Bad Man," expands her distinctive worldview into her first full-length novel.