Books

Dan Boice, library director at UA Monticello, discusses his book and radio series on Arkansas place names — how towns got their monikers and what those names reveal about the people who settled there.

Historian Ashley Farmer discusses her book "Queen Mother," tracing Audley Moore’s decades of activism in Black nationalism, reparations and organizing — and why her story still resonates today.

Two Fayetteville booksellers host a podcast that unpacks "The Hunger Games," explores its themes, characters, and lasting impact, and invites listeners into a broader conversation about books and community.

Jane Austen enthusiasts marked the 250th anniversary of Austen’s birth at the Fayetteville Tea House, celebrating with tea, conversation and the founding of the Ozark Foothills Jane Austen Society chapter.

A $35,000 UAMS grant will enroll all newborns—and eligible siblings—into Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, providing free books monthly to boost early development and improve Arkansas literacy rates.

Andrew Limbong discusses curating NPR’s Books We Love list, standout titles, kids’ books, and how reading shapes connection. He also reflects on revisiting classics in the year ahead.

Veteran and entrepreneur Porter Briggs discusses his new book "South, Towards Home", sharing stories from postwar Germany, Arkansas civic work and his emotional reunion with the son he gave up for adoption.

After years of renovation, the University of Arkansas’ Mullins Library's Special Collections has reopened with sunlight and new exhibits, including one about the zine culture.

Laurie Halse Anderson, author of several YA and children's books, including two National Book Award finalists, comes to Fayetteville for the True Lit Festival to read from her newest novel, 'Rebellion, 1776,' Tuesday, Oct. 14 at 6 p.m. Anderson talks about the importance of historical fiction for kids' inner resilience.

On today's show, we hear a conversation with the superintendent for Fayetteville Public Schools about a new school accountability system. Also, we learn that Laurie Halse Anderson’s latest book is set in 1776, but sounds more like 2025. Plus, a roundup of live music in the region.