Melissa Gray

Melissa Gray appears in the following:

Stephen Buoro on his comic novel 'The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa'

Sunday, April 23, 2023

A Nigerian teen obsessed with the West comes of age in a dangerous country. NPR's Camila Domonoske talks with Stephen Buoro about his comic novel, "The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa."

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NPR staff recommend the fiction books we love

Sunday, December 18, 2022

NPR staff recommend four novels from our Books We Love list: "A Merry Little Meet Cute," "The Complicated Calculus (and Cows) of Carl Paulsen," "The Devil Takes You Home," and "Lapvona."

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Janelle Monáe's 'Dirty Computer' comes alive in a new collection of stories

Sunday, April 17, 2022

The artist builds on the Afrofuturistic world from her 2018 album in a new short story collection titled The Memory Librarian. She tells NPR about her nightmare that inspired the project.

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Louisiana program helps young adults transition out of foster care

Saturday, March 26, 2022

A program in Louisiana helps young adults who've aged out of the foster care system. It gives them guidance on how to meet basic needs like housing, work and healthcare on their own.

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Famed author Jodi Picoult novelizes the pandemic in new book 'Wish You Were Here'

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Picoult's pandemic-inspired story focusing on a character stranded in the Galápagos Islands highlights how events can change us — and offer perspective.

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As they elect a governor, Virginia voters show how all politics have become national

Monday, November 01, 2021

Arguments over race, the pandemic and the impact on schools have taken center stage. Democrats fight back voter disaffection as a Republican candidate gains traction in a state that's trended blue.

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Billie Eilish Can't Wait To See The Future

Sunday, August 01, 2021

With lyrics poking at the ways young women are scrutinized and exploited, Happier than Ever finds Eilish in some dark corners — but the pop supernova tells NPR she's got lots to feel hopeful about.

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Making Super Bowl Guacamole? Be Careful To Avoid The Pits Of An Avocado Hand Injury

Sunday, February 02, 2020

The Super Bowl is a big day for guacamole, which could also mean more ER visits. A recent study links avocado consumption to hand injuries.

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Lin-Manuel Miranda On 'Mary Poppins Returns' And Writing His Way Onstage

Friday, December 14, 2018

Though best-known for his auteur work, the mastermind of Hamilton and In the Heights says it was his dream to be offered a part in someone else's musical.

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How Slick Rick And Queen Latifah 'Breathed Life Into Hip-Hop' In 1988

Thursday, October 25, 2018

Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Garcia of NPR's podcast What's Good explain why they think 1988 was a banner year for hip-hop.

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Black Thought Sets Out On His Own

Friday, June 01, 2018

Streams of Thought Vol. 1, the debut solo project from the voice of The Roots, shows off a side of the rapper fans rarely get to hear.

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What Makes A Jazz Standard?

Monday, May 21, 2018

Christian McBride of Jazz Night in America joins NPR's Audie Cornish with a few criteria for what turns a regular composition into a canonized classic.

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Questlove Aims To Save Your Brain: 'Creativity Might Be In Jeopardy'

Tuesday, May 01, 2018

The Roots bandleader and Renaissance man has a new book called Creative Quest, in which he advises readers on how to consider creativity, how to pursue it and how to channel it.

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Lucibela Channels The Joy Of Cape Verde On 'Laço Umbilical'

Monday, April 23, 2018

The 32-year-old singer shows off a liquid voice rich with the music and culture of her native country for her debut album.

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Kelela On Taking Herself Apart

Thursday, March 15, 2018

The Washington, D.C.-born R&B singer, whose debut studio album landed on many critic's lists of the best music of 2017, says music taught her to be fearless.

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New Year's Resolution Help: NPR Seeks Your Alternatives To Swearing

Monday, January 01, 2018

It's a new year and time for a new you! Or not. NPR producer Melissa Gray, a self-described "potty mouth," has decided to try to cut her casual cursing, but she needs better euphemisms. Help her.

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The Ultimate Cocktail To Send Off An NPR Host: 'Radio Silence'

Friday, December 29, 2017

For the past few years, bar reviewer Emma Allen has introduced us to great drinks. This year, she surprises retiring host Robert Siegel with a cocktail designed just for him.

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Stephen Wade Goes 'Across The Amerikee' With Historical Banjo And Guitar Music

Monday, August 14, 2017

The musician and historian behind the long-running stage show Banjo Dancing has a new album of banjo and guitar showpieces that span the late 19th century and well into the 20th.

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All Hail The Presidential Also-Rans

Friday, November 11, 2016

Hillary Clinton joins the exclusive club of men who reached for, but failed to grasp, our nation's highest elected office. From Aaron Burr to Al Gore, here's a look at the company Clinton joins.

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For Rosh Hashana, A Matzo Ball Soup By Way Of Mexico

Friday, September 30, 2016

Matzo ball soup is a classic straight from Eastern Europe. But not all Jews from the region came to the New World via Ellis Island, as this jalapeño-inflected recipe reflects.

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