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Why Literary Festivals Matter

There seems to be a near-universal impulse to hold public celebrations of literary culture -- but why? Boston Book Festival executive director Norah Piehl says it's all about connection.

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A view of Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

Help Us Find A Story. What Are You Curious About Around Boston?

We're hoping to use a question of yours -- about, say, the region's weather -- to assign ourselves a story.

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Live Analysis And Fact Check: The 4th Democratic Primary Debate

Twelve presidential candidates crowd the stage for October's Democratic primary debate, which begins at 8 p.m. ET Tuesday.

Oct 15, 2019

In this Sept. 6, 2019 file photo, Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia, left, speaks beside his attorney Kevin Reddington outside the federal courthouse in Boston. (Philip Marcelo/AP File Photo)

Indicted Fall River Mayor Announces Leave Of Absence, Will Forego Reelection Bid

Jasiel Correia says he will hand his day-to-day duties to the City Council president.

Oct 15, 2019

Rain will overspread the area on Wednesday with heavy downpours at night. (Courtesy COD Weather)

Today's Weather: Enjoy This Pleasant Tuesday, Ahead Of A Midweek Washout

A sunny Tuesday is followed by a rainstorm later Wednesday into early Thursday.

Oct 15, 2019

Mike Callahan, owner of Beaver Solutions, pulls out debris from a culvert beavers dammed up on Causeway Street in Millis. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Getting A-Log: More In Mass. Seek Coexistence With Beavers

Beavers can cause serious flooding problems. But North America’s largest rodent also does a lot of good for the environment. So in the face of climate change, a growing number...

How CSI-Style Science Helped The Peabody Essex Museum Tell A Rare Female Form's Story

Piecing together the story behind this beautiful victim of time required collaborative sleuthing and meticulous digging.

At MIT List, Alicja Kwade's 'In Between Glances' Asks Whether We Can Believe Our Eyes

With “In Between Glances,” the Polish-born Berlin-based artist explores existential questions revolving around the nature of perception, the meaning of time and space, and the “structures” that organize our thinking...

The ARTery

Oct 15, 2019

Author Daphne Kalotay. (Courtesy Eric Antoniou)

In Life And Work, War Is Personal For Author Daphne Kalotay

The Boston-based author channels the personal nature of war through two characters in her latest novel, "Blue Hours," which came out this summer.

The ARTery

Oct 15, 2019

Esther Duflo, left, and Abhijit Banerjee speak during a news conference at MIT on Monday. Banerjee and Duflo, along with Harvard's Michael Kremer, were awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in economics for pioneering new ways to alleviate global poverty. (Michael Dwyer/AP)

Harvard And MIT Economists Win Nobel For Breakthrough Improving Lives Of Poor

MIT's Esther Duflo and Abhijit Banerjee, along with Harvard's Michael Kremer, were awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in economics.

Edify

02:59Oct 14, 2019

"Appeal to the Great Spirit", a 1909 equestrian statue by Cyrus Dallin in front of the MFA. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

The MFA Celebrates Indigenous Peoples' Day

It's part of a national movement by Native American tribes and activists to rename Columbus Day.

Radio Boston

11:50Oct 14, 2019

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., speaks at a Service Employees International Union forum on labor issues, Saturday, April 27, 2019, in Las Vegas. (John Locher/AP)

Elizabeth Warren's Story Of Pregnancy Discrimination Is Neither Unique, Nor Out Of Date

Sen. Elizabeth Warren says she was once fired because she was pregnant. Other women say she is not alone.

Radio Boston

24:56Oct 14, 2019

Radio Boston

Marijuana plants in the "Flowering Room" at the Canopy Growth Corporation in Smiths Falls, Ontario. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

What Would 'Cannabis Cafes' Look Like In Mass.?

Radio Boston

25:22Oct 15, 2019

Inside Yayoi Kusama's "Love Is Calling" at the ICA. (Robin Lubbock/WBUR)

'I Hope It Becomes An Icon For Boston': A Kusama Infinity Room Finds A New Home At The ICA

Radio Boston

13:44Oct 15, 2019

3 Researchers From MIT And Harvard Win Nobel Prize In Economics For Anti-Poverty Work

Radio Boston

11:46Oct 14, 2019

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, left, celebrates his touchdown with Gunner Olszewski after scoring on a quarterback sneak in the second half of the game against the New York Giants on Thursday. (Elise Amendola/AP)

Checking The Score: Patriots Continue To Roll, But Is Brady Confident Of Victory?

Radio Boston

09:54Oct 11, 2019

More Boston Headlines

Businessman Steve Pemberton, 52, center, who launched his 2020 Senate campaign in July, announced the end to his campaign in an email Monday. (Steve Senne/AP)

Markey Challenger Pemberton Ends Senate Campaign, Citing 'Impenetrable Wall Of Legacy'

Steve Pemberton said while “inspired and energized” by the people he met during his campaign he “ran into an impenetrable wall of legacy and birthright — of incumbency and connections”...

Oct 14, 2019

"For me, the musket is like the Liberty Bell. It's a crucial, material document of a pivotal moment in American history," historian Jonathan Holstein says. (Courtesy Jonathan Holstein)

Musket That Fired 1st Shot In Battle Of Bunker Hill Up For Auction

The musket of American colonist Private John Simpson is going up for auction. Simpson fired the first shot of the 1775 Battle of Bunker Hill.

Oct 14, 2019

Police Search For Driver Who Struck And Hurt 4 Children In Stoneham

Police are looking for a dark-colored Subaru Legacy. Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call Stoneham police.

Oct 14, 2019

Explosion And Fire In Mattapan Leaves About 150 People Temporarily Homeless

The Boston Fire Department says a gas leak in the apartment building's laundry room is to blame. No one was hurt, but officials say the building suffered an estimated $200,000...

Oct 13, 2019

The scene of the reported shooting in Pelham, outside the New England Pentecostal Ministries. (Michael Brindley/NHPR)

2 Shot Inside Pelham, N.H. Church; Suspect In Custody After Wedding Guests Tackled Him, Police Say

Pelham, N.H., police say two people were shot at a wedding ceremony inside the New England Pentecostal Church. Officers found several wedding guests had pinned the alleged shooter to the...

Oct 12, 2019

Police Have Identified The Driver Who Died In A Central Massachusetts Gas Truck Crash

The victim is identified as 62-year old Lois Ann Johnson, of Woodstock, New Hampshire.

Oct 12, 2019

Boston's federal courthouse (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Boston Federal Judge Says ICE 'Behaves Illegally'

Judge Mark Wolf of the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts had harsh words for ICE’s treatment of detainees during Friday's hearing. The agency failed to interview the detainees as required...

Oct 11, 2019

Woman Re-Sentenced To Up To 4 Years In Burlington Shaken Baby Death Case

Middlesex Superior Court Judge Kenneth Fishman re-sentenced Pallavi Macharla to three-and-a-half to four years in state prison, reducing the life sentence given to her in May.

02:11Oct 11, 2019

Bribery Review Finds No Evidence Of Broader Conspiracy On Boston Zoning Board

"It appears to us that none of the current ZBA members had any involvement," said Brian Kelly, the former head of the public corruption unit within the U.S. attorney's office...

Oct 11, 2019

Vermont turns vividly colored in the fall. (Courtesy of Judie Brower)

Where To Peep Your Favorite Leaf Color For Your New England Foliage Fancies

Here are the best times to spot foliage, where to see it and what causes it.

Oct 11, 2019

Morning Edition

Why Literary Festivals Matter

Help Us Find A Story. What Are You Curious About Around Boston?

Live Analysis And Fact Check: The 4th Democratic Primary Debate

Indicted Fall River Mayor Announces Leave Of Absence, Will Forego Reelection Bid

Today's Weather: Enjoy This Pleasant Tuesday, Ahead Of A Midweek Washout

Getting A-Log: More In Mass. Seek Coexistence With Beavers

How CSI-Style Science Helped The Peabody Essex Museum Tell A Rare Female Form's Story

At MIT List, Alicja Kwade's 'In Between Glances' Asks Whether We Can Believe Our Eyes

In Life And Work, War Is Personal For Author Daphne Kalotay

Harvard And MIT Economists Win Nobel For Breakthrough Improving Lives Of Poor

The MFA Celebrates Indigenous Peoples' Day

Elizabeth Warren's Story Of Pregnancy Discrimination Is Neither Unique, Nor Out Of Date

What Would 'Cannabis Cafes' Look Like In Mass.?

'I Hope It Becomes An Icon For Boston': A Kusama Infinity Room Finds A New Home At The ICA

3 Researchers From MIT And Harvard Win Nobel Prize In Economics For Anti-Poverty Work

Checking The Score: Patriots Continue To Roll, But Is Brady Confident Of Victory?

Markey Challenger Pemberton Ends Senate Campaign, Citing 'Impenetrable Wall Of Legacy'

Musket That Fired 1st Shot In Battle Of Bunker Hill Up For Auction

Police Search For Driver Who Struck And Hurt 4 Children In Stoneham

Explosion And Fire In Mattapan Leaves About 150 People Temporarily Homeless

2 Shot Inside Pelham, N.H. Church; Suspect In Custody After Wedding Guests Tackled Him, Police Say

Police Have Identified The Driver Who Died In A Central Massachusetts Gas Truck Crash

Boston Federal Judge Says ICE 'Behaves Illegally'

Woman Re-Sentenced To Up To 4 Years In Burlington Shaken Baby Death Case

Bribery Review Finds No Evidence Of Broader Conspiracy On Boston Zoning Board

Where To Peep Your Favorite Leaf Color For Your New England Foliage Fancies