NPR's Book of the Day
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In need of a good read? Or just want to keep up with the books everyone's talking about? NPR's Book of the Day gives you today's very best writing in a snackable, skimmable, pocket-sized podcast. Whether you're looking to engage with the big questions of our times – or temporarily escape from them – we've got an author who will speak to you, all genres, mood and writing styles included. Catch today's great books in 15 minutes or less.
Categories: Arts
Listen to the last episode:
Al Pacino's childhood was spent in a tough neighborhood in the South Bronx. But he grew up among a crew of wild kids who often found themselves on adventures rivaling those of Huckleberry Finn. Those childhood antics proved foundational for Pacino, who details these stories and more in a new memoir, Sonny Boy. In today's episode, Pacino speaks with NPR's Ari Shapiro about the experiences that ignited and fed his love of acting, like a performance of Chekhov's The Seagull that changed his life. They also discuss the influence of the actor's mother and grandfather on his upbringing and whether Pacino still feels like a nonconformist at 84 years old.
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Previous episodes
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817 - Al Pacino's memoir 'Sonny Boy' is a story of adventure, starting in the South Bronx Tue, 29 Oct 2024
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816 - Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha bears witness to war in 'Forest of Noise' Mon, 28 Oct 2024
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815 - Rebecca Yarros on literary tropes, writing through chronic illness and 'Fourth Wing' Sat, 26 Oct 2024
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814 - In new children's books from Trevor Noah and Travis Jonker, adventure is not far off Fri, 25 Oct 2024
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813 - A new biography portrays Queen Elizabeth II as the British public's emotional anchor Thu, 24 Oct 2024
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812 - 'How Women Made Music' reexamines the history of music with women at its center Wed, 23 Oct 2024
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811 - With a new cookbook, TikTok creator Owen Han aims to perfect the art of the sandwich Tue, 22 Oct 2024
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810 - 'The Indian Card' explores the question of Native identity in the United States Mon, 21 Oct 2024
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809 - Food meets family in new books from Ina Garten and Stephen Colbert Fri, 18 Oct 2024
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808 - 'Twenty-Four Seconds from Now' is a love story for Black boys–and everyone else, too Thu, 17 Oct 2024
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807 - In 'In Praise of Mystery,' U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón looks to the stars Wed, 16 Oct 2024
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806 - Malcolm Gladwell revisits old ideas in a new book, 'Revenge of the Tipping Point' Tue, 15 Oct 2024
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805 - Han Kang, winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in literature, on her novel 'The Vegetarian' Mon, 14 Oct 2024
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804 - American Library Association president Cindy Hohl on why book bans are hard to stop Fri, 11 Oct 2024
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803 - In Simone St. James' 'Murder Road,' a lakeside honeymoon turns into a murder mystery Thu, 10 Oct 2024
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802 - 'Building Material' is the memoir of a Park Avenue doorman Wed, 09 Oct 2024
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801 - Jules Feiffer, 'The Phantom Tollbooth' illustrator, is out with a new graphic novel Tue, 08 Oct 2024
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800 - 'How to Build a Fashion Icon' is stylist Law Roach's guide to image architecture Mon, 07 Oct 2024
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799 - 'Hope for Cynics' and 'On Freedom' ask big-picture questions about how we live Fri, 04 Oct 2024
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798 - In 'We Solve Murders,' Richard Osman introduces a new detective trio Thu, 03 Oct 2024
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797 - Lyndsay Rush's new book of poems, 'A Bit Much,' was written for poetry skeptics Wed, 02 Oct 2024
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796 - Ta-Nehisi Coates returns to political writing in his new book 'The Message' Tue, 01 Oct 2024
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795 - Richard Powers' new novel 'Playground' is filled with awe for the ocean Mon, 30 Sep 2024
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794 - Newbery Medalist Meg Medina and NBA star Jayson Tatum are out with children's books Fri, 27 Sep 2024
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793 - 'What If We Get It Right?' envisions new possibilities for our climate future Thu, 26 Sep 2024
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792 - In the new book 'Want,' Gillian Anderson collects other women's sexual fantasies Wed, 25 Sep 2024
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791 - 'City in Ruins' is the finale of the Danny Ryan trilogy–and of Don Winslow's career Tue, 24 Sep 2024
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790 - In 'Who's That Girl?' Eve reflects on her time in a male-dominated hip-hop industry Mon, 23 Sep 2024
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789 - James McBride on music, writing and 'The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store' Fri, 20 Sep 2024
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788 - 'Represent' charts the United States' long struggle for the right to vote Thu, 19 Sep 2024
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787 - In 'Entitlement,' a young woman helps an elderly billionaire give away his fortune Wed, 18 Sep 2024
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786 - Venus Williams' new book 'Strive' is a personal guide to physical and mental health Tue, 17 Sep 2024
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785 - Rachel Kushner's new novel 'Creation Lake' is inspired by real-life espionage Mon, 16 Sep 2024
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784 - 'At War with Ourselves' and 'Broken Open' are memoirs chronicling internal conflict Fri, 13 Sep 2024
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783 - 'The Museum of Failures' follows a father-to-be as he stumbles upon family secrets Thu, 12 Sep 2024
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782 - In 'The Stories We Cannot Tell,' difficult pregnancies unite two very different women Wed, 11 Sep 2024
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781 - In 'We're Alone,' Edwidge Danticat's essays extend an invitation to be together Tue, 10 Sep 2024
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780 - 'A Pair of Wings' draws inspiration from Bessie Coleman, the first Black woman to fly Mon, 09 Sep 2024
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779 - 'Anything's Pastable' and 'My Life in Recipes' explore viral pasta and family history Fri, 06 Sep 2024
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778 - 'Eruption' is a collaboration between Michael Crichton and James Patterson Thu, 05 Sep 2024
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777 - Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson talks Supreme Court ethics, family in 'Lovely One' Wed, 04 Sep 2024
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776 - 'The Instrumentalist' is a story about music, imagination and Anna Maria della Pietà Tue, 03 Sep 2024
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775 - 'Ruin their Crops on the Ground' tracks the history and politics of food in the U.S. Mon, 02 Sep 2024
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774 - 'The 15-Minute City' and 'Rethinking Rescue' reimagine existing systems Fri, 30 Aug 2024
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773 - 'How to Leave the House' follows a quest for a missing package Thu, 29 Aug 2024
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772 - In 'On the Edge,' Nate Silver analyzes professional risk-takers Wed, 28 Aug 2024
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771 - 'Hurdles in the Dark' is a memoir about a kidnapping, juvenile detention and racing Tue, 27 Aug 2024
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770 - Graphic novel 'Einstein in Kafkaland' ponders how two great minds met in Prague Mon, 26 Aug 2024
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769 - 'Us, After' and 'A Haunted Girl' tackle mental health Fri, 23 Aug 2024
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768 - Gabino Iglesias' 'House of Bone and Rain' is a tale of vengeance in Puerto Rico Thu, 22 Aug 2024