Essayist Andre Aciman is fascinated by memory , though he says what we remember is rarely straightforward. He talks with Steve Paulson about memory and writing.
Intelligent. Optimistic. Curious.
Audio
In his new book “Better Living Through Criticism,” A.O. Scott distills his decades-long career into a simple to read manifesto that not only explains the qualities of a good critic, but argues their fundamental importance to any culture.
Though names like Mother Ann Lee and Charles Fourier are not names that ring a bell for most today, they founded two of the most influential utopian movements in US history. 19th Century communes like the Shakers and Brook Farm are gone today their legacy – politically and culturally, are all around us. Chris Jennings is the author of “Paradise Now: The Story of American Utopianism.” Steve Paulson sat down with Jennings and asked him about what is now a dirty word, utopia.
Albert Glinsky is the author of “Theremin: Ether Music and Espionage.” The book is a biography of Leon Theremin and a history of the instrument that bears his name.
Anne Strainchamps reports on the new vogue for hand-made goods in America. She visits a major crafts show and speaks with vendors and shoppers.
What do dwarfs, the deaf, and people with autism or Down Syndrome have in common? According to writer Andrew Solomon, all families with such “exceptional” children face similar challenges. And for parents, there’s often a struggle to accept kids who are very different from themselves. In this UNCUT interview, Solomon talks about his acclaimed book “Far From the Tree.”
In the fourth episode of the story of Dan Pierotti's death, friends and family stay with Dan's body in the days before the funeral. Dan's wife Judy talks about her experience of the funeral and burial.
"Then it's final," Judy says. "There's no coming back from any of it. But just the first shovel full of dirt that hits that coffin... that's very hard to hear, very hard to experience."
What's the perfect drug for a culture of distraction? Adderall. Sales of the prescription drug have increased exponentially and not always legally, especially to young adults. Casey Schwartz spent her twenties gulping down prescription stimulants to help her get through school and start her career. She wrote about her experience in a story for "The New York Times Magazine" called "Generation Adderall."
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