Inside the Making of ‘Wicked’
19 February - 26 minsOne day, several decades ago, the writer Winnie Holzman was shopping in a Manhattan bookstore where a particular cover caught her eye. It showed a woman with a green face, a black hat pulled down over her eyes. The book was “Wicked” by Gregory Maguire, a retelling of L. Frank Baum’s “Oz” stories from the perspective of the Wicked Witch of the West. “When I turned it over and read the little précis on the back, it blew my mind,” Holzman said. “I thought it was such a brilliant premise.” The book ended up on Holzman’s bookshelf, with its enigmatic cover facing out.
Years later, the composer Stephen Schwartz contacted Holzman to ask if she’d be interested in adapting Maguire’s book for the sta...
Series Episodes
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In "Orbital," by Samantha Harvey, a group of astronauts in the International Space Station orbit the Earth 16 times over 24 hours. This simple and beautiful novel won the 2024 Booker Prize. On this week's episode, MJ Franklin discusses Harvey's slim book with fellow Book Review editors Joumana Khatib and Jennifer Harlan.
41 mins
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Celebrating 100 Years of Edward Gorey
You’re familiar with Edward Gorey, whether you know it or not. The prolific author and illustrator, who was born 100 years ago this week, was ubiquitous for a time in the 1970s and 1980s, and his elaborate black-and-white line drawings graced everything from book jackets to the opening credits of the PBS show “Mystery!” to his own eccentric storybooks. On this week’s episode, the Book Review’s Sadie Stein joins Gilbert Cruz for a celebration of all things Gorey.
35 mins
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Adapting the Twists and Turns of ‘Conclave’
How the novel became an Oscar-nominated film.
23 mins
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Is Bob Dylan Still a ‘Complete Unknown’?
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22 mins
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How ‘Nickel Boys’ Became One of the Year’s Most Visually Striking Films
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