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Lyt når som helst, hvor som helst 

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.

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NPR's Book of the Day

Ben Macintyre is a master of espionage stories that are true. His latest project is based on a case study taught in MI6, the British foreign intelligence service. Redwood follows a KGB spy who offers valuable secrets to Britain while working in Iran during the height of the Cold War. In today’s episode, the author joins Weekend Edition’s Scott Simon for a conversation that touches on the spy’s surprising motivations, the contentious history between Russia and Britain in Iran and the fear of nuclear confrontation that hangs over the story.

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'Redwood' is a true tale of a KGB agent who offered to spy for Britain

R.F. Kuang, author of popular books like Yellowface and Babel, is out with a more personal novel. Taipei Story follows Lily Chin, a Chinese-American college student who travels to Taipei for a summer language intensive. While there, she struggles with complicated feelings about language, identity and the thread of her family’s story. In today’s episode, Kuang talks with Here & Now’s Indira Lakshmanan about how the author relates to Lily, her own relationship to speaking Chinese and her interest in writing across genres.

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'Taipei Story' is a more personal novel from 'Yellowface' author R.F. Kuang

Two new romance novels subvert expectations about the genre. In Tropesick, Katie and Tyler are old acquaintances who are reunited as writing partners. In today’s episode, author Lauren Okie chats with All Things Considered’s Juana Summers about structuring the novel with different tropes, writing a rivals-to-lovers setup and how Okie balanced metafictional elements with the story’s natural plotline. Then, a former pop star and her psychology professor become intertwined in Extracurricular. Author Rachel Lynn Solomon spoke with Summers about what drew her to the forbidden romance subgenre.

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'Tropesick' and 'Extracurricular' are romance novels that subvert genre expectations

Utah Republican Gov. Spencer Cox is out with a new book – but he wants to clarify that he’s not running for president (often an assumption when politicians write books). Off Ramp: How To Be A Peacemaker In An Age Of Contempt is an extension of a plea he made following the killing of Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University. In the book, he argues Americans need to learn to disagree better in order to restore the respect that once existed between political adversaries. In today’s episode, Cox tells NPR’s Sacha Pfeiffer why he’s the “worst possible spokesperson” for his message.

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Utah Gov. Spencer Cox on why he’s the 'worst possible spokesperson' for his own book

Emily St. John Mandel’s new novel opens in the first spring after the collapse of the United States – and her protagonist, Ari, is on her way to a party. Exit Party is set in a new world emerging out of the chaos of a second American Civil War, one shaped by climate catastrophe and populated by doppelgangers. In today's episode, Mandel chats with Weekend Edition’s Scott Simon about counterlives, recognizing “good moments” amid disaster and how the painting “Swan Dive” helped the author maintain narrative cohesion.

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Emily St. John Mandel's 'Exit Party' opens in the wake of a second American Civil War

In her 2016 book Grit, University of Pennsylvania psychologist Angela Duckworth argued that willpower and determination were keys to success. A decade later, her new book signals a change of heart. In Situated, Duckworth says – while grit still matters – changing the situation you’re in is the most helpful thing you can do to meet your goals. In a conversation with Here & Now’s Indira Lakshmanan, Duckworth shares four practical ways to take situational agency, including lessons she learned from a snorkeling accident, Oprah and Taylor Swift.

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'Grit' author Angela Duckworth on how changing your situation can lead to success

Conclave author Robert Harris has returned to Rome with a fictional memoir of Agrippa, a military genius and trusted ally of the first Roman Emperor, Augustus. In the memoir, the general doesn’t have much time left and is ready to divulge a life story filled with battles, vows and betrayals. In today’s episode, Harris joins Weekend Edition’s Scott Simon for a conversation about Agrippa’s origins, the many other historical figures that populate the book, including Octavia Caesar and Pompeia, and why Harris says ancient Rome is in “our DNA.”

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'Conclave' author Robert Harris is out with a fictional Roman Empire memoir

Ten years ago, Colin Kaepernick – then the quarterback for the 49ers – took a knee during the national anthem in a preseason game in order to protest racial injustice. His new memoir The Perilous Fight reflects on that decision. In a conversation with Morning Edition’s Michel Martin, the former NFL player spoke about the lifetime of experiences that led him to that moment. They also discussed the NFL’s engagement in “paid patriotism,” Kaepernick’s views on the relationship between work and personhood, and why, even at 38, he still maintains NFL ambitions.

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In new memoir, Colin Kaepernick reflects on his historic national anthem protest

In the post-9/11 era, American Muslims became the target of government suspicion and surveillance. But while reporting her new book, New York Times Magazine journalist Rozina Ali found that Islamophobia has been present in the United States since at least the 1960s. In today’s episode, Ali joins Morning Edition’s Leila Fadel for a conversation about the four family stories – spanning eight decades – that she profiles in Seasons of Fury. They also discuss the way Islamophobia plays out in American politics today.

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'Seasons of Fury' traces the roots of Islamophobia in the United States

Katherine Rundell’s Impossible Creatures series follows two kid heroes on their journey to save a group of islands filled with magical beasts. She’s the first children's author since J.K. Rowling to simultaneously top the U.K. and U.S. sales charts. Now, Rundell is out with The Neverfear, the third installment in the series. She’s also authored a book-length essay called Why You Should Read Children's Books, Even Though You Are So Old and Wise. In today’s episode, she talks with Here & Now’s Indira Lakshmanan about how children’s literature gets to “the meat of the human heart.”

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Katherine Rundell says it's a mistake for adults to discard children's literature

Two new books look at the lives and careers of designers who revolutionized American fashion. First, Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson is out with Claire McCardell, a biography of a lesser-known designer who radically changed the way we think about women's clothing. In today's episode, Dickinson speaks with NPR's Andrew Limbong about the history of pockets and the psychology of what we wear. Then, Robin Givhan joins NPR's Michel Martin to discuss Make It Ours, her new cultural history of Virgil Abloh. They discuss how Abloh redefined luxury fashion, despite beginning his career as an industry outsider.

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New biographies look at the careers of designers Claire McCardell and Virgil Abloh

Lyt når som helst, hvor som helst

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