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To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Patricia Smith is an African American who's the four-time champion of the National Poetry Slam.

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Lorrie Moore responds to Hillary Clinton as a cultural symbol and public personality.

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

How did religion ever get started in the first place?  We talked to renowned sociologist Robert Bellah shortly before he died.  He said religion isn't about belief in God.  Its origins go back to the rituals of our ancient ancestors, and ultimately to play.

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

The French satirical magazine, Charlie Hebdo, was presented with a Freedom on Expression award from the PEN American Center this week.  Six high-profile writers boycotted the awards ceremony at PEN's big annual gala.  Hundreds more protested, while others gave the magazine's editors a standing ovation.  The chariman of the PEN World Voices Festival is Colm Toibin, the celebrated Irish novelist.  Toibin shares his thoughs on the controversy.

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

James McBride won the National Book Award for "The Good Lord Bird," his novel about the abolitionist John Brown.  He explains why he doesn't like most fictional portraits of slavery and how he tried to tell a different story.

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Many things can evoke a memory. Like a smell. Or a touch. When Mamek Khadem wanted to evoke the memory of her native Iran during the Islamic revolution in 1979, she did it with music. 

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

MP3 formatting compresses audio so that the file becomes 75 to 95 percent smaller. But what are we missing?

To The Best Of Our Knowledge

Acclaimed novelist Martin Amis talks about growing up as the son of another famous novelist — Kingsley Amis.

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