BPR Full Show: Hit the Books

Today on Boston Public Radio we’re on tape, replaying some of our favorite conversations with a focus on author interviews:

Don Lemon tells stories from his book, “This Is The Fire: What I Say To My Friends About Racism." Lemon anchors “CNN Tonight with Don Lemon,” airing weeknights at 10 p.m. He’s also a #1 bestselling New York Times author. 

Chasten Buttigieg discusses his memoir, “I Have Something to Tell You,” and the challenges facing LGBTQ+ communities in the U.S. Buttigieg is a teacher and the husband of U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.

Sy Montgomery dives into the world of hummingbirds with her latest book, “The Hummingbirds’ Gift: Wonder, Beauty And Renewal On Wings.” Montgomery is a journalist, naturalist and a BPR contributor.

David Byrne talks about the film adaptation of his tour, "American Utopia," and his accompanying illustrated book. Byrne is a singer, songwriter and guitarist, and founding member of the Talking Heads.

Nancy Schön discusses her recent work and the mysteries behind the decoration of her iconic “Make Way For Ducklings” sculpture in Boston’s Public Garden. Schön is a sculpture artist, and her latest book is “Ducks on Parade!”

Derek DelGaudio weighs in on the roles identity and illusion play in his work, along with the thought process behind his film "In & Of Itself." DelGaudio is a writer and artist. His latest book is “Amoralman: A True Story And Other Lies,” and his film, "In & Of Itself," is on Hulu.

Gish Jen highlights differences between individualistic and collectivistic cultures in her new book, "The Girl At The Baggage Claim: Explaining the East-West Culture Gap." Jen is a novelist and nonfiction writer.

Meredith Goldstein previews her YA book, “Things That Grow,” and talks about the state of romance and relationships during the pandemic. Goldstein is an advice columnist and features writer for the Boston Globe. Her advice column, Love Letters, is a daily dispatch of wisdom for the lovelorn that has been running for more than a decade. She also hosts the Love Letters podcast.

Richard Blanco reads Chen Chen’s poem “Poem in Noisy Mouthfuls”, Ocean Vuong’s poem “Kissing in Vietnamese” and Li-Young Lee’s poem “I Ask My Mother to Sing.” Blanco is the fifth inaugural poet in U.S. history. His new book, "How To Love A Country," deals with various socio-political issues that shadow America.