MEMETERIA by Thomas May

Arts & Culture Stories from NPR

• An Oddball Family That Can't Connect In 'How To Behave In A Crowd'
  Camille Bordas keeps things light in her smart, charming new novel, but there are serious underpinnings to this story about the youngest member of a family of quirky, emotionally closed overachievers.
• Rachel Martin's High School Reunion
  Rachel Martin graduated from Idaho Falls High School 25 years ago. She's checking in with some of the people she knew in high school — including Eric Hsu, who served as her senior class president.
• 'The Once And Future Liberal' Looks At Shortfalls Of American Liberalism
  NPR's Robert Siegel talks to Mark Lilla, author of the book, The Once and Future Liberal: After Identity Politics, which looks at the failure of American liberalism over the past two generations.
• Novelist Max Brooks On Doomsday, Dyslexia And Growing Up With Hollywood Parents
  Brooks' stable childhood with parents Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft stands in contrast to the wild stories he tells in novels like World War Z and Minecraft: The Island.
• 'Home Fire' Puts A Topical Spin On Ancient Greek Tragedy
  Kamila Shamsie's new book — beautifully written and paced — updates the ancient story of Antigone to tell an explosive story of two families tangled together by love, grief and religious radicalism.
• 'Hail To The Chin': B-List Actor Bruce Campbell Returns With A Memoir Of Middle Age
  Campbell's second collection of rants and ruminations is just as enjoyably smarmy as his first, though the actor's ruthlessly sardonic outlook has mellowed.
• Be More Than A Bookstore: A Brick-And-Mortar Shop's Key To Success
  Barnes & Noble is experimenting with food, Amazon is replicating its online business and an indie shop aims to be part of the community. Ultimately, they all want to sell more books.
• Jury Rules In Favor Of Taylor Swift In Groping Lawsuit
  The jury ruled in favor of the pop superstar on Monday, in a high profile case in which she accused a Denver radio disc jockey of groping her. Swift did not report the incident at the time in 2013.
• Jury Begins Deliberations In Taylor Swift Groping Trial
  A jury hears closing arguments and may render a verdict on countersuits between Taylor Swift and a Denver disc jockey who allegedly groped her at a publicity event. A judge threw out the disc jockey's claim that Swift unfairly had him fired, but the case continues against her mother and others on her team.
• After Mastectomy, Young Woman's Tattoo Helps Her Feel Whole Again
  Nicole was only 23 when she had a double mastectomy following a breast cancer diagnosis. After she recovered, Nicole got a chest tattoo that symbolized how she wants to live life after cancer.