Books

After his mother's death, Ocean Vuong wrote his way through grief

Tonya Mosley

Vuong's new novel, The Emperor of Gladness, is the first he's written, from start to finish, since his mother died in 2019. He says writing it was a way to honor her memory.
National

Edmund White, who broke ground in gay literature, has died at 85

Neda Ulaby

Many of White's books chronicled his own experiences as a gay man, making an indelible impression on gay culture and how LGBTQ experiences were understood more broadly at the dawning of the AIDS health crisis.
National

Making the case for housing as a human right

Ericka Taylor

And Housing for All is an impressively comprehensive examination of homelessness in America by Maria Foscarinis, who has worked in homelessness advocacy for decades.
New books this week cover problematic parents, the ultrarich, and a year without sex

Colin Dwyer

Publishing this week: new fiction from Susan Choi, essays from Evan Osnos and memoir from Molly Jong-Fast. Plus, Melissa Febos reflects on her year of abstinence.
International

Jacinda Ardern reflects on a career focused on the power of kindness

Mary Louise Kelly

Courtney Dorning

Erika Ryan

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks to former Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern about balancing leadership and motherhood.
With 'I Love Lucy' and beyond, Desi Arnaz helped shaped TV as we know it

Terry Gross

The success of I Love Lucy is often credited to Lucille Ball's comedic talent, but biographer Todd Purdum says Arnaz was more than just "second banana" to Lucy. He also helped shape the modern sitcom.
Health

A disabled mom's message to parents: We all need help, and it's OK to ask for it

Mara Gordon

Raising two kids while living with an autonomic nervous system disorder taught Jessica Slice to embrace interdependence. Her story is a reminder to parents of the power of asking for help.
Arts & Culture

Top San Diego weekend arts events: Art for youth, dance and indie writers

Julia Dixon Evans

Our top picks for arts and culture this weekend include Small Press Nite, Mission Trails Photo Contest, Museum School Auction, "United Harmonies," Helena Holleran, "One of the Good Ones" and more.
Arts & Culture

Kevin Kearney’s 'Freelance' blends reality, terror and the gig economy

Julia Dixon Evans

San Diego fiction writer and Small Press Nite founder Kevin Kearney’s latest novel follows a young and impressionable rideshare driver as his job — and the app behind it — begins to take over his life.
National

Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, Kenyan literary giant who fought colonialism, dies at 87

Andrew Limbong

The Kenyan author championed local African languages and was imprisoned for his work. His name was often mentioned in discussions about the Nobel Prize in Literature.