Big Books & Bold Ideas with Kerri Miller

Conversations on books and ideas, Fridays at 11 a.m.

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Decoding the 'familect'
What words or phrases does your family — and only your family — use and understand? MPR News host Kerri Miller talked ‘familect’ with University of Minnesota linguist Anatoly Liberman on Thursday’s 9 a.m. show.
Safiya Sinclair liberates herself in 'How to Say Babylon'
In her new, haunting memoir, poet Safiya Sinclair recounts her childhood in Jamaica, where her father’s strict Rastafari religion kept her controlled and quiet. She is quiet no more.
Tour the galaxy with the 'Bad Astronomer'
In his new book, Philip Plait — aka the Bad Astronomer — takes space fans on a vivid tour of the cosmos, with stops on planets, moons, stars and even black holes. (Spoiler: That last one doesn’t end well.)
Talking Volumes: Margaret Renkl on 'The Comfort of Crows'
New York Times columnist and nature writer Margaret Renkl closed out the 2023 Talking Volumes season with meditations on the joys of a backyard oasis, the inevitable losses of a warming climate and how to live while holding both of those truths in tandem.
A hard look at gun violence in 'The Bodies Keep Coming'
A trauma surgeon looks at how gun violence and racism and health care intersect — and offers solutions for how we can fix a system that harms so many.
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen joined host Kerri Miller on stage at the Fitzgerald Theater for Talking Volumes to talk about his new memoir, “A Man of Two Faces.”
'Land of Milk and Honey' depicts a future without the pleasure of food
In C Pam Zhang’s long-awaited second novel, a young Asian chef finds herself cooking for the uber-rich on a mountaintop in Italy, one of the last places on Earth where crops still grow.
Authors with banned books talk about protecting access to stories
To mark Banned Books Week, three young adult authors whose books have been banned join MPR News host Kerri Miller to talk about the importance of keeping a diverse selection of books available in public schools and libraries nationwide.
Talking Volumes: Ann Patchett on 'Tom Lake'
Ann Patchett and Kate DiCamillo joined host Kerri Miller on stage Sept. 28 for Talking Volumes. They discussed why women are always the ones making dinner, what Ann really thinks of books tours, how she choses to live without regret, and — oh yes — her new novel, "Tom Lake."