In “Opposable Thumbs,” Matt Singer recalls the risky business of putting newspaper movie critics on TV — and the “combustible chemistry” that made it a hit.
He wanted to put a face on the source of cells that led to striking medical advances, and through him a best seller and a movie did just that, telling the tale of Henrietta Lacks.
In “Judgment at Tokyo,” the political scholar Gary J. Bass examines the post-World War II prosecution of Japanese military atrocities and makes the case for the real efficacy of international law.
The Tony winner and author talked about the Broadway shows she’ll see once she can stay up late again, and the podcast that comforted her during the pandemic.