Martha Barnette

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  • Username: Martha_Barnette
  • Host/Producer
  • Role: Producer Group Staff

Recent Pieces from Martha Barnette

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Gilded Age (#1633) (54:00)
From: A Way with Words

In her sumptuous new memoir, Jamaican writer Safiya Sinclair describes her escape from a difficult childhood ruled by her tyrannical father. For Sinclair, poetry became a ...
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Loaded for Bear (#1531) (54:00)
From: A Way with Words

One way to make your new business look trendy is to use two nouns separated by an ampersand, like Peach & Creature . . . or Rainstorm & Egg. A tongue-in-cheek website will ...
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Bronx Cheer (#1632) (54:00)
From: A Way with Words

What's the best thing to say to someone who is grieving? Choosing the right words is far less important than just showing up in the first place. Also, a family from Russia ...
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Mrs. Astor's Horse (#1530) (54:00)
From: A Way with Words

"What has a head like a cat, feet like a cat, a tail like a cat, but isn't a cat?" Answer: a kitten! A 1948 children's joke book has lots of these to share with kids. Plus: ...
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Ghost Runner (#1631) (54:00)
From: A Way with Words

In Japan, if you want to order a corndog, you ask for an Amerikan doggu (アメリカンドッグ). These types of coinages are called wasei-eigo, or "Japanese-made English," and there are ...
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At First Blush (#1529) (54:00)
From: A Way with Words

Book recommendations and the art of apology. Martha and Grant share some good reads, including an opinionated romp through English grammar, a Spanish-language adventure ...
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Sweet Spot (#1630) (54:00)
From: A Way with Words

If you're in a book club, how do you decide what books to read? There are lots of different ways, depending on your group's goals. And is it ever wise to correct someone who ...
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Gift Horse (#1528) (54:00)
From: A Way with Words

The edge of the Grand Canyon. A remote mountaintop, or a medieval cathedral. Some places are so mystical you feel like you're close to another dimension of space and time. ...
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Had the Radish (#1527) (54:00)
From: A Way with Words

This week on A Way with Words: Your first name is very personal, but what if you don't like it? For some people, changing their name works out great, but for others, it may ...
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Orange Pigs (#1629) (54:00)
From: A Way with Words

What do you call a segment of an orange? These juicy pieces of fruit go by lots of different names, including section, wedge, and carpel. But they're also called pegs or even ...