Ariel Francisco joins Kevin Young to read "By a Lake in Minnesota," by James Wright, and his own poem "Along the East River and in the Bronx Young Men Were Singing." Francisco is a poet and translator who published his debut poetry collection, "All My Heroes Are Broke," in 2017. His new book, "A Sinking Ship is Still a Ship," is forthcoming in 2020.
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Jul 29
Richard Blanco Reads Elizabeth Bishop
Richard Blanco joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “Questions of Travel,” by Elizabeth Bishop, and his own poem, “My Father in English.” Blanco is the author of two memoirs and four poetry collections, including “How to Love a Country” and “Homeland of My Body.” He is the recip ... Show More
49m 38s
Jun 24
Richard Siken Reads Jorie Graham
Richard Siken joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “I Catch Sight of the Now,” by Jorie Graham, and his own poem “Piano Lesson.” Siken is a poet and painter whose book “Crush” won the 2004 Yale Series of Younger Poets prize, a Lambda Literary Award, and a Thom Gunn Award. His ot ... Show More
42 m
May 27
Julia Alvarez Reads Judy Page Heitzman
Julia Alvarez joins Kevin Young to read and discuss “The Schoolroom on the Second Floor of the Knitting Mill,” by Judy Page Heitzman, and her own poem “Mami at Her Vanity.” Alvarez is the author of many novels, nonfiction books, children’s books, and poetry collections, including ... Show More
39m 4s
Feb 2022
Alejandro Zambra Reads Bruno Schulz
Alejandro Zambra joins Deborah Treisman to read and discuss “Loneliness,” by Bruno Schulz, translated from the Polish by Celina Wieniewska, which was published in The New Yorker in 1977. Zambra is a Chilean poet, novelist, and story writer whose most recent novel, “Chilean Poet,” ... Show More
39m 10s
Nov 2022
Two poetry collections find beauty in unexpected places
Poet Franny Choi knows that marginalized communities have been facing apocalypses forever. But in her new book, The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On, she uses their survival as a way to look forward. In this episode, she tells NPR's Leila Fadel how understanding that pai ... Show More
20m 21s
Aug 2020
David Wright Faladé Reads “The Sand Banks, 1861”
David Wright Faladé reads his story from the August 31, 2020, issue of the magazine. Wright Faladé is the author of the nonfiction book “Fire on the Beach: Recovering the Lost Story of Richard Etheridge and the Pea Island Lifesavers” and the young-adult novel “Away Running.” This ... Show More
43m 24s
Sep 2025
David Wright Faladé Reads “Amarillo Boulevard”
David Wright Faladé reads his story “Amarillo Boulevard,” from the October 6, 2025, issue of the magazine. Wright Faladé, the recipient of a Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Award, is the author of a nonfiction book, “Fire on the Beach: Recovering the Lost Story of Richard Ether ... Show More
45m 6s