Library Talks
Neil Gaiman Reads "A Christmas Carol" (Rebroadcast)

This week, we bring you a rebroadcast of a podcast favorite. Acclaimed author Neil Gaiman comes to the Library to present a memorable reading of A Christmas Carol from the Library’s own rare copy, which includes edits and prompts Charles Dickens wrote in his own hand for his unique readings 150 years ago. Dressed in full costume and joined by writer and BBC researcher Molly Oldfield, Gaiman performs the classic tale as the great author intended.

Direct download: 41b_Gaiman_Christmas_Rebroadcast.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:30am EDT

Timbaland on Mantronix, Reinvention, & Kids

Renowned music producer Timbaland joins us to talk about his new memoir, “Emperor of Sound,” which provides a long-anticipated inside look at his extraordinary life and career. In this, his first public conversation about his new book, Timbaland sits down with author and educator Dr. Jelani Cobb at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture to discuss hip hop, creativity, and the passion that drives his artistic career.

Direct download: 91_Timbaland.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

Edmund de Waal on Porcelain, Time Travel, & Sound

Celebrated artist Edmund de Waal's porcelain works can be found in major museum collections around the world. His new book, “The White Road,” chronicles the lure his chosen medium has held over the centuries, as well as its role in his own life and work. In this conversation with NYPL’s Paul Holdengraber, de Waal talks about obsession, history, and why a ceramicist needs literature.

Direct download: 90_de_Waal.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

Gloria Steinem on Sex, Justice, & Magazines

World-renowned activist and writer Gloria Steinem's new book “My Life on the Road” was released in October to critical acclaim. She came to the Library this fall to talk with attorney Roberta Kaplan, who landed a major victory for the LGBTQ movement by successfully arguing for the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act before the Supreme Court. In this enthralling conversation, Steinem and Kaplan discuss marriage, social justice, and the power of stories to shape our world.

Direct download: 89_Steinem.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

Mary-Louise Parker on Relationships, Motherhood, & Religion

Emmy and Tony-award winning actress Mary-Louise Parker comes to the Library this fall to celebrate the release of her first book, “Dear Mr. You,” which has received advance acclaim from the New York Times and Publishers Weekly, among others. In this conversation with bestselling memoirist Mary Karr, Parker talks about relationships, forgiveness, and the invaluable lessons she learned from her father.

Direct download: 88_Parker.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:01pm EDT

Elvis Costello on the Internet, Records, & Imitation

Grammy Award-winning musician Elvis Costello's prolific career as a singer-songwriter spans nearly four decades. This fall, he comes to NYPL to celebrate his new memoir, “Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink.” In this delightful conversation with Paul Holdengraber, Costello discusses memory, songwriting, and his life in rock and roll.

Direct download: 87_Costello.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

Sloane Crosley on College, Jewelry, & Publicity

Writer Sloane Crosley is a frequent New York Times contributor and author of the bestselling books “How Did You Get This Number” and “I Was Told There’d Be Cake,” a Thurber Prize finalist. In this conversation with NYPL’s Jessica Strand, Crosley discusses humor, human nature, and her new novel, “The Clasp.”

Direct download: 86_Crosley.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

The 2015 Library Lions on Truth & Inspiration

World-renowned activist and author Gloria Steinem, award-winning author and playwright Alan Bennett, heralded dancer and choreographer Judith A. Jamison, celebrated author and illustrator Maira Kalman, and groundbreaking novelist Karl Ove Knausgaard are this year’s Library Lions, five outstanding individuals recognized by NYPL for their achievements in the fields of art, culture, scholarship, and letters. We sat down with each of these incredible people to talk about libraries, the creative process, and much more.

Direct download: Lions_podcast_final.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

Shaquille O'Neal on Germany, Rap, & Slam Dunks

Sports legend and businessman Shaquille O’Neal's nineteen-year basketball career made him a three-time Finals MVP, a four-time NBA champion, and a fifteen-time All-Star. This fall, he comes to NYPL to celebrate the release of his new children’s book, “Little Shaq.” In a fun and provocative conversation with NYPL’s Paul Holdengraber, Shaq discusses reading, dunking, and the value of having a sense of humor.

Direct download: 84_Shaq.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

Ta-Nehisi Coates on Theft, Atheism, & History

Recent Macarthur Genius Grant winner Ta-Nehisi Coates is a national correspondent for “The Atlantic” whose latest book, “Between the World and Me,” is a nominee for the 2015 National Book Award. This fall, Coates sits down with Khalil Gibran Muhammad, Director of NYPL’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, for a conversation on race, writing, and more.

Direct download: 83_Coates.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

Patti Smith on Authors She Loves

Musician, writer and artist Patti Smith returns to the podcast this fall to discuss her new memoir “M Train,” a follow-up to her 2010 National Book Award-winning debut memoir, “Just Kids.” In a conversation with NYPL’s Paul Holdengraber, Smith talks about art, the city, and the experiences she’s gained during her prolific and eclectic career.

Direct download: 82_Patti_Smith.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

Erica Jong on Becoming a Poet & Favorite Authors

Award-winning author Erica Jong's prolific career has produced such bestsellers as “Fear of Flying,” “Seducing the Demon,” and her latest work, “Fear of Dying.” In this delightful conversation with NYPL’s Jessica Strand, Jong discusses feminism, early success, and why she’s never stopped writing over the course of her long and fruitful career.

Direct download: 81_Jong.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am EDT

Ron Rash on Writer Survival & Place

A two-time winner of the O. Henry Prize, Ron Rash is the author of numerous novels, short stories and poetry collections, including New York Times bestseller “Serena,” and most recently, “Above the Waterfall.” In a conversation with NYPL’s Jessica Strand, Rash discusses narrative, Appalachia, and finding the universal in a particular setting.

Direct download: 80_Rash.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00am EDT

Alice Waters on the Pleasures of the Palate

Two stars of the culinary world join us for this week's podcast: Chez Panisse restaurateur Alice Waters and James Beard Award-winner and wine importer Kermit Lynch. Waters, a pioneer of the farm-to-table movement and recent winner of the National Humanities Medal, sat down with Lynch in 2013 to discuss their shared passions. In this delectable conversation, Waters and Lynch talk about fresh food, wine, and the culinary world’s impact on the environment.

Direct download: 79_Waters.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

John Lithgow on Shakespeare & Bedtime Stories

On this week’s podcast, we’re reaching back in the archives to 2011, when NYPL welcomed John Lithgow, winner of numerous Emmys and Golden Globes and one of the most distinguished American actors of his generation. In a conversation with Peabody Award-winning journalist Bill Moyers, Lithgow talks about not only his acting career, but also his authorship of numerous children’s books, an anthology of poems, and most recently, his memoir, “Drama: An Actor’s Education.”

Direct download: 78_Lithgow.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EDT

Jack White on Music & Freedom

This week, we’re excited to welcome a panel of guests including musician Jack White and cofounder of Revenant Records, Dean Blackwood. Along with author Daphne A. Brooks, these lovers of music examine the rise and fall of Paramount Records, a label that existed from 1917 to 1931, and compiled a dizzying array of performers still unrivaled to this day — from Louis Armstrong to Ma Rainey and Ethel Waters. In this captivating panel discussion, our guests talk about the music business, the Great Migration, and how the legacy of Paramount Records lives on today.

Direct download: 76_Jack_White.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00am EDT

In Memoriam: Oliver Sacks on Hallucinations

This week, we’re honoring the memory of Oliver Sacks, esteemed neurologist and author of numerous bestselling books, including “Awakenings”, “The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat,” and, most recently, his autobiography “On the Move.” We’re reaching back in the archives to 2009, when Dr. Sacks delivered NYPL’s annual Robert B. Silvers lecture. In this fascinating talk, Dr. Sacks explores the musical hallucinations of the deaf, the visual hallucinations of the blind, and more strange behaviors of the human brain.

Direct download: 76_Sacks.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:07pm EDT

Chimamanda Adichie & Zadie Smith on Race, Writing, & Relationships

On the heels of the blockbuster success of her latest novel, “Americanah,” Adichie sat down with Smith at NYPL’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture to discuss the critically acclaimed book and how it came to be. In their far-reaching conversation, Adichie and Smith talk about race, feminism, and finding one’s identity in a globalized world.

Direct download: 75_Adichie__Smith.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EDT

Colson Whitehead on Poker

The Macarthur Award-winning author joins us to celebrate the release of his latest book, “The Noble Hustle: Poker, Beef Jerky & Death,” which chronicles his experience as an amateur card player trying his hand at the World Series of Poker. In a conversation with NYPL’s Jessica Strand, Whitehead discusses his mediocre card skills, the grueling training regimen that prepared him for the tournament, and what he learned about the human condition in Las Vegas.

Direct download: 74_Whitehead.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:44pm EDT

The Moth on the Power of Storytelling

Eighteen years ago, storytelling collective The Moth launched what has become a world-wide storytelling movement. In this captivating show, we join novelist and Moth Founder George Dawes Green, writer Andrew Solomon, and The Moth's long-time Artistic Director Catherine Burns for a performance and discussion with NYPL’s Paul Holdengräber about the craft of storytelling and its power to re-shape the world.

Direct download: 73_The_Moth.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am EDT

Lou Reed on Playing Outside the Box

Lou Reed, Mo Tucker, and Doug Yule of the Velvet Underground reunited at the Library in 2009 for a discussion with Rolling Stone journalist David Fricke. In this provocative conversation, the three legendary musicians talk about strange performance venues, the energy of New York, and how it felt to go where no musician had gone before.

Direct download: 72_Reed.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:00am EDT

The bestselling author's latest book, “The Odd Woman and the City,” was released this May to critical acclaim. In this conversation with NYPL’s Jessica Strand, Gornick talks about modern feminists, New York City, and the evolution of friendship over the past two centuries.

Direct download: 71_Gornick.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:13pm EDT

Alan Rusbridger on Whistleblowers & Wikileaks

Former editor-in-chief of The Guardian and a keen amateur pianist, Alan Rusbridger's book “Play It Again” recounts how he learned Chopin’s Ballade No. 1 during a year bookended by Wikileaks and the News of the World phone-hacking scandal. Together with NYPL’s Paul Holdengraber, Rusbridger discusses music, the Pentagon Papers, and why he always carries a destroyed government hard drive in his breast pocket.

Direct download: 70_Rusbridger.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EDT

Patti Smith on Youth & Friendship

This week, we’re taking you back in the archives to a captivating conversation with Patti Smith, the beloved and critically acclaimed artist and performer. Smith came to the Library in 2010 to mark the release of her book “Just Kids,” which chronicles her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in 1960s and 70s New York City. Joined by NYPL’s Paul Holdengraber, Patti Smith takes the stage to discuss friendship, youth, and her creative awakening — and maybe even sing a song or two.

Direct download: 69_Smith_01.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:00am EDT

This week on the podcast, we welcome renowned photographer Sally Mann, whose works are included in the permanent collections at the Whitney Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, among many others. Mann came to the Library this spring to celebrate the release of her latest book, “Hold Still: A Memoir With Photographs.” In this conversation with NYPL’s Jessica Strand, Mann discusses memory, mortality, and how she crafted a striking personal history through image and narrative.

Direct download: 68_Mann.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:00am EDT

This week, we’re excited to welcome legendary filmmaker Werner Herzog, whose numerous, award-winning films have made him one of the most influential directors of New German Cinema and contemporary film around the world. In a conversation co-presented by the Onassis Cultural Center of New York, Herzog talks to NYPL’s Paul Holdengraber about Ancient Greek literature and its influence on his cinematic work over the past half-century.

Direct download: 67_Herzog.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:19pm EDT

Dan Savage on Monogamy

This week, we’re celebrating Pride Month with popular writer and gay activist Dan Savage, author of the advice column "Savage Love" and creator of the Emmy-winning "It Gets Better" campaign. Along with fellow writer and political commentator Andrew Sullivan, Savage came to the Library back in 2013 to mark the release of his latest book, “American Savage.” In this entertaining and thought-provoking conversation, Sullivan and Savage talk about moralism, marriage, and monogamy.

Direct download: 66_Savage_v2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EDT

Suzanne Farrell on George Balanchine

This week, we’re thrilled to welcome Suzanne Farrell, one of George Balanchine’s most celebrated muses and a legendary figure in the ballet world. The world-renowned dancer inspired some of Balanchine's finest choreography, and today, she helps maintain his legacy as founder of the Balanchine Preservation Initiative and her own ballet company at The Kennedy Center. In a thought-provoking conversation with NYPL’s Paul Holdengraber, Farrell reflects on Balanchine, ballet, and her influence on both.

Direct download: 65_Farrell.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:00am EDT

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Bitcoin

This week, we’ll be hearing from a panel of writers and innovators on the often talked about, but rarely understood, Bitcoin. New York Times reporter Nathaniel Popper, whose book “Digital Gold” tells the story of this trail-blazing virtual currency, will be joined on stage by Gavin Andresen, the programmer who has been leading the Bitcoin project since 2010, and Fred Wilson, one of the biggest venture capitalists backing the project. In a conversation moderated by New York Times columnist and CNBC anchor Andrew Ross Sorkin, this group of powerful thinkers discusses virtual currency and the future of money in the digital age.

Direct download: 64_Bitcoin.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:22pm EDT

Damien Echols on Hope & Death Row

This week, we’re excited to welcome Damien Echols, whose bestselling memoir “Life After Death” describes how he was falsely convicted of three murders and spent nearly eighteen years on death row. He’s joined by performer and activist Henry Rollins for a conversation about prison life, holding onto memories, and how to stay hopeful in the worst of times.

Direct download: 63_Echols.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:34am EDT

Matthew Weiner on the End of "Mad Men"

In his first public discussion of the show from beginning to end, "Mad Men" creator Matthew Weiner sits down with writer A.M. Homes to talk about the show’s themes, the fates of its characters, and the enigmatic final episode.

Direct download: 62_Weiner.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

He's written a memoir Not My Father's Son. He's Eli Gold on The Good Wife. He's been Nightcrawler in X-2: Men United and Hamlet and Mr. Elton in the film adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma. He's Alan Cumming, and we're so pleased to share his recent appearance at Books at Noon in this week's episode of the New York Public Library podcast.

Direct download: 61_Cumming_-_51815_1.53_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:31pm EDT

Internationally renowned fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg comes to NYPL for a conversation with Rhonda Garelick, award-winning scholar and author of “Mademoiselle: Coco Chanel and the Pulse of History.” Together, von Furstenberg and Garelick discuss success, women taking the lead, and what it means to be a fashion icon.

Direct download: 60_Von_Furstenberg.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:32am EDT

In this inspiring conversation with NYPL President Tony Marx, Sotomayor talks about her early life in the Bronx, the importance of education, and her rise to becoming one of the most powerful women in America today.

 

Direct download: 59_Sotomayor_-_64_32000.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:16pm EDT

Frank Bruni on College Admissions Mania

The author and popular op-ed columnist for the New York Times joins us to discuss his latest book, “Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be: An Antidote to the College Admissions Mania.” Talking to NYPL’s own Jessica Strand, Bruni reflects on modern anxieties, higher education, and what truly defines success.

Direct download: 58_Bruni.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:48am EDT

T.C. Boyle on Finding Stories and Themes

Bestselling and prolific author T.C. Boyle comes to NYPL to discuss his twenty-fifth book, “The Harder They Come.” In this witty conversation with the Library’s Jessica Strand, Boyle talks about irony, black humor, and America’s obsession with image and materialism.

 

Direct download: 57_Boyle_-_42215_1.04_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:15pm EDT

Tavis Smiley on Maya Angelou

Joined by NYPL’s Jessica Strand, Tavis Smiley talks about his latest book, “My Journey with Maya,” which details his friendship with the late Maya Angelou. In this moving conversation, Tavis Smiley discusses the value of debate, his connection with the past, and how Angelou’s friendship transformed him into the man he is today.

Direct download: 56_Smiley.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:29pm EDT

Azar Nafisi on the Freedom to Read

The bestselling author of “Reading Lolita in Tehran,” a portrayal of the Islamic Revolution in Iran and its effects on one university professor and her students, Azar Nafisi comes to NYPL to celebrate the success of her most recent book, “The Republic of Imagination.” Nafisi joins NYPL’s Paul Holdengraber for a conversation on the importance of literature, freedom, and originality in today’s global society.

Direct download: 55_Nafisi.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:29pm EDT

Jeffrey Deitch on Art & Spectacle

Jeffrey Deitch, a celebrated art critic and curator, talks about his popular new book “Live the Art,” which details his decades of boundary-pushing work in the galleries and museums of New York, California, and beyond. In a fascinating conversation with Massimiliano Gioni, Artistic Director of New York’s New Museum, Deitch discusses innovation, creation, and his appreciation for spectacle.

Direct download: 54_Deitch_and_Gioni.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:59pm EDT

RuPaul on Fantasy & Identity

The musician, performer, and host of "RuPaul's Drag Race" sashays onto our stage to celebrate the recent release of his seventh studio album, "Realness." In a wildly entertaining and thought-provoking conversation, the cultural icon talks to NYPL’s Paul Holdengräber about success, performance, all things drag and beyond.

Direct download: 53_RuPaul.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:05pm EDT

Stay Tuned

Get ready for our upcoming spring season of exciting talks from very special guests at the Library, now released every Tuesday on iTunes, Stitcher, and SoundCloud.

Direct download: 52_1.2_Spring_Promo_-_31915_1.02_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:23pm EDT

Art historian and curator Sarah Lewis talks to award-winning actress Anna Deavere Smith about Lewis’s nonfiction debut, “The Rise: Creativity, the Gift of Failure, and the Search for Mastery,” which examines stories of innovation and discovery born from the unlikeliest of experiences. In a conversation that’s equal parts funny, moving, and thoughtful, the two women discuss how failure is crucial to true success.

Direct download: 52_Lewis_and_Smith.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:42pm EDT

Ann Patchett & Elizabeth Gilbert on Writing

Ann Patchett, the award-winning author of numerous books including “Bel Canto” and “State of Wonder,” joins her good friend Elizabeth Gilbert, author of the hit bestseller “Eat, Pray, Love,” to talk about the challenges and joys of their craft. In this thrilling conversation, Patchett and Gilbert ask each other how and why they write, covering everything from grief, to frustration, to divine inspiration.

Direct download: 51_Gilbert_and_Patchett.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:11pm EDT

Jay-Z on Hustling & Forgiveness

Grammy Award winning artist Jay-Z came to NYPL in 2010, when his long-awaited memoir, "Decoded," had just hit shelves. He’s joined by NYPL’s Paul Holdengraber and intellectual icon Cornel West for a conversation about his journey from a rough childhood to becoming an internationally renowned rap artist, philanthropist, and entrepreneur.

Direct download: 50_Jay-Z.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:06pm EDT

New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow joins Khalil Muhammad, Director of NYPL’s Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, for a conversation about Blow’s new memoir, “Fire Shut Up in My Bones.” Through the lens of Blow’s powerful personal story, the two men discuss visual art, social justice, and the need for empathy in American culture.

Direct download: 49_Blow.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:56pm EDT

On the heels of the success of his bestselling 2012 novel “Back to Blood,” Wolfe came to NYPL to discuss identity, beliefs, and the weaving together of journalism and fiction.

Direct download: 48_Wolfe_v3.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:35pm EDT

Ntozake Shange on Inspiration & Harlem

The great American playwright and poet Ntozake Shange, creator of the Obie Award-winning play “for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf,” celebrates the 40th anniversary of her landmark work with a panel discussion about its inspiration, creation, and enduring legacy.

Direct download: 47_Shange.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:06pm EDT

Joan Didion on Writing & Revising

The beloved writer talks to fellow bestselling author Sloane Crosley about the challenges of putting personal tragedy and illusory pleasure into words.

Direct download: 46_Didion_-_12915_5.11_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:45pm EDT

Before her memoir Wild become an oscar nominated film, Strayed joined NYPL to discuss the blockbuster memoir, measuring success, and good advice.

Direct download: 45_Strayed_-_12315_12.06_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:41pm EDT

The prolific and beloved writer talks about creativity, productivity, and the importance of living an inspired life.

Direct download: 44_Oates_-_11615_2.40_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:57pm EDT

The two great authors discuss experimental narrative, political turmoil, and blending believable fiction with the absurd truth.

Direct download: 43_James__Rushdie_-_1915_3.22_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:52pm EDT

This week, the New York Public Library Podcast welcomes Thomas Struth, the world-famous and influential photographer best known for his family portraits and large-scale cityscapes. To celebrate the opening of NYPL’s new exhibition "Public Eye: 175 Years of Sharing Photography," Struth joins us to speak about cultural memory, photographing Queen Elizabeth, and reading the stories that images tell.

Direct download: 42_Struth_-_123014_3.31_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:53pm EDT

Neil Gaiman Reads "A Christmas Carol"

Acclaimed author Neil Gaiman performs a memorable dramatic reading from the Library’s own rare copy of "A Christmas Carol," which includes edits and prompts Charles Dickens wrote in his own hand for his unique public readings 150 years ago. Dressed in full costume and joined by writer and BBC researcher Molly Oldfield, Gaiman performs the classic tale as its great author intended.

Direct download: 41_Gaiman_Christmas_-_121814_4.38_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EDT

Maira Kalman on Her Favorite Things

The illustrator and author of more than twenty books for both kids and adults sits down with us to talk about strong female characters, nonlinear storytelling, and drawing outside the lines.

Direct download: 40_Kailman_-_121114_2.28_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:03pm EDT

Mark Strand on Artistic Imagination

This week, we honor Pulitzer Prize winner and former US poet laureate Mark Strand, who passed away over the weekend at the age of 80. The beloved poet and author joined us this October to discuss art, imagination, and the life of the mind.

Direct download: 39_Strand_-_12214_10.45_AM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:05am EDT

This Thanksgiving week, we’re reaching back into the NYPL archives to bring you a story about food, family, and multicultural identity. Internationally acclaimed chef Marcus Samuelsson describes his remarkable journey from a humble kitchen in Sweden, to some of the most competitive and revered restaurants in the world — and, finally, to the opening of the beloved Red Rooster in Harlem.

Direct download: 38_Samuelsson_-_112414_3.47_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:41pm EDT

Richard Ford on Becoming a Reader and Finding a Voice

This week, we welcome novelist Richard Ford, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Sportswriter," "Independence Day," and "The Lay of the Land." Ford comes to NYPL to talk about his latest book, "Let Me Be Frank with You," a fourth installment in his bestselling Frank Bascombe series, which now finds its protagonist struggling to make sense of his past in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Direct download: 37_Ford_-_112014_4.12_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:22pm EDT

This week, the NYPL Podcast welcomes George Clinton, the singular musical phenomenon who twisted soul music into funk. Clinton joins us to talk about his life's work, learning from his proteges, and pushing the boundaries of what music can do.

Direct download: 36_Clinton_-_111314_2.28_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:07pm EDT

This week on the podcast, Neil Gaiman, the beloved bestselling author of "Coraline," "American Gods," and "The Graveyard Book," joins us on Halloween night for some scary stories and thrilling conversation. He speaks about disobedient adults, why he learned to read, and his own reimagining of "Hansel and Gretel."

Direct download: 35_Gaiman_-_11614_12.20_PM.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 1:34pm EDT

This week on the podcast, Sam Roberts joins us to discuss seeing history through objects, productive procrastination, and what he thinks the motto of New York City should be.

Direct download: 34_Roberts_-_103114_1.18_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:38pm EDT

This week, the NYPL Podcast welcomes Marjane Satrapi, the graphic novelist, illustrator, film director, and children's book author who brought us Persepolis. She speaks to NYPL's Paul Holdengraber about the liabilities of learning English from American movies, the intelligence required for a sense of humor, and more.

Direct download: 33_Satrapi_-_102414_1.51_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:27pm EDT

This week, acclaimed author Jane Smiley joins us to discuss the origins of her new trilogy "The Last Hundred Years," the hard part about spending a century with her characters, and her middle school reading tastes.

Direct download: 32_Smiley_-_101714_2.53_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:02pm EDT

This week on the podcast, noted legal reformer Philip K. Howard discusses his latest work, "The Rule of Nobody: Saving America from Dead Laws and Broken Government."

Direct download: 31_Howard_-_101014_5.01_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:11pm EDT

This week, the New York Public Library Podcast welcomes Tom Perrotta, whose novels Little Children, Election, and The Leftovers have been adapted into highly-lauded films and television series. He joins us today to discuss his latest work, Nine Inches.

Direct download: 20_Perotta_-_10214_4.39_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:34am EDT

The award-winning poet and author of the novel Leaving the Atocha Station brings his masterful command of words from the page to the stage, celebrating the start of LIVE's Fall 2014 season and his new book, 10:04.

Direct download: 29_Lerner_-_92614_3.06_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:24pm EDT

This week on the podcast, acclaimed author Ayana Mathis comes to NYPL to talk about her latest work, The Twelve Tribes of Hattie.

Direct download: 27_Mathis_-_92214_3.36_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:50pm EDT

This week, The New York Public Library Podcast features personal stories from adult children who have lost their parents to AIDS, including Alysia Abbott, author of Fairyland: A Memoir of My Father.

Direct download: 27_AIDS_-_9514_3.41_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:04pm EDT

This week on The New York Public Library Podcast, internationally renowned artist Robert Morris discusses various aspects of his practice and some of the key themes—time, memory, language, medium, and process—of his work.

Direct download: 26_Morris_-_82214_12.46_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:07pm EDT

The Library for the Performing Arts presents an evening of songs—songs that were cut from this season’s new Broadway musicals, including The Bridges of Madison County, If/Then, and Rocky.

Direct download: 25_Broadway_Cut_-_8714_1.25_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:40pm EDT

This week, The New York Public Library Podcast welcomes Stephen Schlesinger, as he discusses his new book, The Letters of Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., a collection of his father’s vivid, witty correspondence influential political and cultural figures of his time.

Direct download: 24_Schlesinger_-_72414_4.45_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:49pm EDT

This week on The New York Public Library Podcast, acclaimed author George Prochnik discusses The Impossible Exile, his new book about the life and work of Stefan Zweig, an icon of the Viennese cultural renaissance.

Direct download: 23._Prochnik_-_71014_2.39_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:41pm EDT

In April 2014, Amazon and Hachette locked horns in what has become a very public, and still ongoing, battle over contract negotiations. After the online retailer removed the pre-order option, imposed shipping delays, and slashed discounts on the book publisher's titles, the reaction against Amazon was swift and fierce. But the story of the Amazon-Hachette dispute is anything but simple, and raises critical questions about the future of the book publishing industry. What is really at stake for the companies, authors and readers? What larger issues of free-market capitalism and free speech are at play? And what does the Amazon-Hachette dispute reveal about the future of the publishing industry in the age of e-books?

Direct download: 22._Amazon_-_7314_2.01_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:20pm EDT

When you've written biographies on Sophia Loren, Ernest Hemingway and Doris Day you're bound to have some pretty incredible stories. This week on the podcast we join editor, novelist, playwright, and biographer A. E. Hotchner as he reflects on some memorable moments from impressive career. 

Direct download: 21._Hotchner_-_62614_2.08_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:25pm EDT

On this episode of The New York Public Library Podcast, Norwegian author Karl Ove Knausgaard dissects the latest volume of his critically acclaimed autobiography, My Struggle—and the controversy that surrounds it—with Jeffrey Eugenides, author of The Virgin Suicides.

Direct download: 20._Knausgaard_Eugenides_-_62314_2.19_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:38pm EDT

This week on The New York Public Library Podcast, filmmaker John Waters comes to us with tales from his latest book, Carsick, which chronicles his adventures hitchhiking across the United States.

Direct download: 19._Waters_-_6514_1.58_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:20pm EDT

This week, The New York Public Library Podcast welcomes the Irish novelist, playwright, and critic Colm Tóibín to Books at Noon, the Library’s new series of free lunchtime author talks.

Direct download: 18._Toilbin_-_53014_1.53_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:02pm EDT

This week on The New York Public Library Podcast, renowned visual artist Kara Walker joins Radiolab host Jad Abumrad to discuss her new show at Domino Sugar Factory, and explore the complicated history of sugar, sex, sweetness, and power.

Direct download: 17._Walker_Abumrad_-_52114_4.41_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00am EDT

Chuck Palahniuk is best known as the author of the novels Fight Club and Choke. Douglas Coupland is the author of the international bestsellers Generation A and JPod. This week on The New York Public Library Podcast, the two take to the stage at LIVE from the NYPL for a literary conversation that doubles as a social experiment.

Direct download: 16._Copeland_Palahniuk_-_51614_2.11_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:36pm EDT

This week, The New York Public Library Podcast welcomes Tony Award-winning playwright, performer, and activist Eve Ensler to Books at Noon, the Library’s new series of free lunchtime author talks.

Direct download: 15._Ensler_-_5914_1.48_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:57pm EDT

This week on The New York Public Library podcast, LIVE from the NYPL welcomes three leaders of the craft beer movement. Brooklyn Brewery cofounder Steve Hindy—joined by Kim Jordan, New Belgium Brewing Company CEO, and Charlie Papazian founder of the American Homebrewers Association—recounts how craft brewers have forever changed the way the world experiences beer.

Direct download: 14._Hindy_-_42914_2.45_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:04pm EDT

This week, The New York Public Library podcast welcomes acclaimed novelist Joyce Carol Oates to Books at Noon, the Library’s new series of free lunchtime author talks.

Direct download: 13._Oats_-_41714_5.39_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:33pm EDT

This week on the podcast, hear the two award-winning authors discuss poverty around the world.

Direct download: 12._Boo_-_41114_3.30_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:48pm EDT

This week on the New York Public Library Podcast, best-selling author and challenger of conventional wisdom Malcolm Gladwell brings his critical approach to LIVE from the NYPL as he expounds on his newest interests.

Direct download: 11._Gladwell_-_4314_6.14_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:24pm EDT

This week on the podcast, we welcome Michael Cunningham to Books at Noon, the Library's new series of free lunchtime author talks. Cunningham is the author of six novels, including A Home at the End of the World and The Hours, which was awarded both the Pulitzer Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award. His latest novel is The Snow Queen.

Direct download: 10._Cunningham_1_-_32614_3.09_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:28pm EDT

This week on the podcast, award winning author Paul Auster stops by "Books at Noon" – NYPL's weekly lunchtime author talk series – to discuss some of his latest work, pushing the boundaries of autobiography, and much more.

Direct download: 9._Auster.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:37pm EDT

Today's New York Public Library podcast welcomes Sam Lipsyte to Books at Noon, the Library's new series of free lunchtime author talks. Lipsyte was a Guggenheim Fellow, is the recipient of the Believer Book Award, and is the author of five books, including most recently a collection of short stories, The Fun Parts.

Direct download: 8._Lypstye.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:43pm EDT

Today’s New York Public Library podcast features the new Books at Noon series; a free weekly program featuring popular and acclaimed authors in the Schwarzman Building on 42nd Street and 5th Avenue. Our first guest is the political satirist and author PJ O’Rourke who has written 16 books, most recently "Baby Boom: How it Got that Way (And it Wasn’t My Fault) (And I’ll Never Do it Again)."

Direct download: 7._ORourke.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:40pm EDT

Wes Anderson's vivid cinematic aesthetic and idiosyncratic characters make his films both immediately recognizable and endearing. Anderson returns to LIVE to explore his passions, influences, and his newest film The Grand Budapest Hotel, in conversation with Paul Holdengräber.

Direct download: 6._Anderson.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:40pm EDT

The Grand Budapest Hotel | Wes Anderson LIVE from the NYPL

Wes Anderson's vivid cinematic aesthetic and idiosyncratic characters make his films both immediately recognizable and endearing. Anderson returns to LIVE to explore his passions, influences, and his newest film The Grand Budapest Hotel, in conversation with Paul Holdengräber.

Direct download: 6._Anderson.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:40pm EDT

LIVE closes the Fall 2013 season with a conversation between 2013 Library Lion Junot Diaz and the writer who most influenced him, Nobel Prize-winner Toni Morrison.

"I think the most sustained love of mine," Diaz has said, "the one that's carried me through all these years, is my relationship with Toni Morrison. Im telling you, I'm one of those people who's still cracking my head on many of the ideas Toni Morrison both suggested and elaborated on in her work." Witness a powerful event as Diaz comes face to face with his literary hero to celebrate her remarkable career.

Direct download: 5._Diaz_Morrison.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:48am EDT

A passionate attachment to a great work of literature can shape our lives and help us to read our own histories. 

For Rebecca Mead, that book was George Eliot's Middlemarch, which she first read as a young woman in an English coastal town, and reread regularly throughout her life. In My Life In Middlemarch, the New Yorker writer revisits her own past and Eliot's work in a new way, by leading us into the life that the book made for her, as well as the many lives the novel has led since it was written. Employing a structure that mirrors that of the novel, My Life in Middlemarch blends biography, reporting, and memoir, taking the themes of Eliot's masterpiece--the complexity of love, the meaning of marriage, the foundations of morality, and the drama of aspiration and failure--and bringing them into our world. Mead comes to LIVE from the NYPL to explore the enduring power of Middlemarch, and how the books we read help us read our own lives. 

Direct download: 4._Mead.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:02pm EDT

James McBride opens LIVE from the NYPL's Spring 2014 season with an exploration of his latest work The Good Lord Bird - winner of the 2013 National Book Award for fiction - through words and music. The evening will feature conversation with the author and musician, as well as performances by McBride and his quintet, whose mix of spirituals and jazz renditions of classic gospel songs are inspired by the abolitionist John Brown, a key figure in this novel. With Keith Robinson on guitar, Trevor Exter on bass, Show Tyme Brooks on drums, Adam Faulk on piano, McBride on saxophone and the whole band on vocals.

Direct download: 3._McBride.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:41pm EDT

Three generations of philanthropists sit down to discuss business, charity, farming, and their 40 Chances in life, moderated by Tom Brokaw.

If you had the resources to accomplish something great in the world, what would you do? That's the question legendary investor Warren Buffett posed to his son in 2006, when he announced he was leaving the bulk of his fortune to philanthropy. Howard G. Buffett set out to help the most vulnerable people on earth—nearly a billion individuals who lack basic food security. And Howard has given himself a deadline: 40 years to put more than $3 billion to work on this challenge. 40 Chances: Finding Hope in a Hungry World captures Howard's journey to make a difference in the world, and the lessons learned along the way. Warren joins his son and grandson, Howard W. Buffett, to celebrate the accomplishments so far, and embrace the new challenges ahead.

Direct download: 2._Buffets.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:01pm EDT

Undisputed Truth: Mike Tyson LIVE From the NYPL

Mike Tyson has defied expectations and conventional wisdom during his three decades in the public eye. Tyson, the one-time heavyweight champion of the world and a legend both in and out of the ring, joins LIVE for a conversation about his tumultuous life in the same straightforward and sincere tone seen in his new memoir, Undisputed Truth.

One of the most thrilling and ferocious boxers of all time, Tyson's brilliance in the ring was often compromised by reckless behavior. Years of hard partying, violent fights, and criminal proceedings took their toll: by 2003, he hit rock bottom, a convicted felon and completely broke. Yet Tyson managed to regained his success, his dignity, and the love of his family. With his new-found happiness and stability as a father and husband, his story is an American original.

Direct download: 1.Tyson_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:52pm EDT