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Oregon author traces Lin-Manuel Miranda's journey from childhood to celebrity

Portland State Professor Daniel Pollack-Pelzner is the author of a new book about the life of one of America's most iconic storytellers, Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Portland State Professor Daniel Pollack-Pelzner is the author of a new book about the life of one of America's most iconic storytellers, Lin-Manuel Miranda.

How did Lin-Manuel Miranda, the sweet, sensitive son of Puerto Rican parents from an immigrant neighborhood in Manhattan, rise to become the preeminent musical storyteller of the 21st century? Vanessa Finney visits with Portland State Professor Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, author of "Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist."

The book traces Miranda's path from an often isolated child to the winner of multiple Tonys and Grammys for his Broadway hits "Hamilton" and "In the Heights." Miranda also produced the global chart-topping sensation songs in Disney’s "Moana" and "Encanto." He's the recipient of a Pulitzer Prize and a MacArthur Genius Grant.

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Vanessa Finney is JPR's All Things Considered host. She also produces the Jefferson Exchange segments My Better Half - exploring how people are thriving in the second half of their lives - and The Creative Way, which profiles regional artists.