Black in NASCAR, Baseball's Effa Manley, 'Live from Mount Olympus,' 'Circe,' Arlo Parks
NASCAR is one of the most-watched sports in the US and has historically been dominated by southern white men. Bill Lester joins us to talk about his experiences as one of only seven African American drivers in the history of the sport, which he recounts in his new book, Winning in Reverse: Defying the Odds and Achieving Dreams ―The Bill Lester Story. The book comes out on February 2nd.
WNYC planning editor Kate Hinds joins us for her ongoing series, “Kate Has a Plan,” to discuss the stories the newsroom is following this week, from snow to the snowy owl.
Author Andrea Williams joins us to discuss her young adult book, Baseball's Leading Lady: Effa Manley and the Rise and Fall of the Negro Leagues, about the first and only woman to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Manley was the owner and co-manager of the Newark Eagles, a team she cultivated into a powerhouse.
Actors André De Shields and Divine Garland join us to discuss the new narrative podcast, Live from Mount Olympus, which comes out February 2 from the Onassis Foundation and PRX's TRAX, a network of podcasts specially designed for 9–13-year-olds. The podcast is directed by Rachel Chavkin and Zhailon Levingston and narrated by André De Shields, reprising his "Hadestown" role as Hermes. Actor Divine Garland performs as Perseus. New episodes will be out weekly through March 9.
[REBROADCAST FROM APRIL 17, 2018] Madeline Miller discusses her novel Circe. It tells the story of Circe, daughter of the Greek sun god, Helios. The novel is an epic of the original variety and weaves narratives of family rivalry and palace intrigue with a celebration of female strength.
West London songwriter Arlo Parks first gained attention in 2018 with the breakthrough single “Cola.” On Friday, she released her full-length debut, Collapsed in Sunbeams. She joins us for a Listening Party.
