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In search of E B White; Benn Ray’s book picks; and Betsy Boyd’s baby-making odyssey

Andrew Reiner recounts his road trip to the secret stomping grounds of E B White; Atomic Books' Benn Ray recommends books; and Betsy Boyd's continuing baby-making adventures

The legend goes something like this:  One morning back in the late 1930s, E.B. White was taking a stroll around his farmhouse in Maine when he caught sight of a spider spinning an egg sac.  According to popular folklore, it was that chance encounter that would inspire him to pen his children’s book, “Charlotte’s Web.”  White passed away at his home in Brooklin, Maine, in 1985, and the residents of the town are famously protective of his privacy, even after his death.  Signal contributor Andrew Reiner joins us to recount a pilgrimage that brought him as close as possible to the secret sanctuary of the late, great American writer.

 

a contemplative Benn Ray

Benn Ray of Atomic Books shares his summer reading recommendations the Signal’s Lisa Morgan.

bennray.mp3
Atomic Books' Benn Ray recommends some summer reads

Betsy Boyd

When Betsy Boyd decided in her late thirties that she wanted to have a baby, she knew she’d face some challenges.  What she didn’t know was just how many twists and turns her quest would take. She’s been chronicling her adventure in a series of essays.  Here’s the latest.

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an essay by Betsy Boyd

 
 
 
 
 

Aaron creates and produces original radio programs and podcasts for WYPR. His current project is The Maryland Curiosity Bureau. Aaron's neighborhood documentary series, Out of the Blocks, earned the 2018 national Edward R Murrow Award. His past work includes the long-running weekly cultural program, The Signal, and the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings series, Tapestry of the Times. Aaron's stories have aired nationally on NPR's Morning Edition and All Things Considered.
Lisa Morgan covered the local arts community as co-creator and host of WYPR’s award-winning program The Signal from 2004 to 2015. She has created and produced many programs for WYPR, including news stories, features, commentaries, and audio documentaries. She taught audio production at Goucher College and has done voice-over work for a variety of clients. The Weekly Reader is her latest project.