Novelist Tayari Jones explores a father's deception of his family, while historian David McCullough looks at 19th-century Americans in Paris, Roy Blount Jr. revels in verbal curiosities, writer Bill James reflects on true-crime stories, and journalist Diana Henriques probes the Ponzi scheme of Bernie Madoff.
For those readers looking to exercise their brains while lounging by the pool, this summer has some great reading options. These five engaging books are witty, smart and, best of all, a lot of fun.
Why do pigs oink in English and chrjo in Russian? What does the word ma ma have to do with the word mammal? In his new book, Alphabet Juice, humorist and author Roy Blount Jr. traces the origins of everyday words and how they have changed over time.
Humorist and writer Roy Blount Jr. has spent years exploring the rocky relationship and stereotypes between the North and the South. His latest book is a collection of witty and sly observations as a Southern white guy "living pigeon-holed" up North.
In a new book, Feet on Street: Rambles around New Orleans, humorist Roy Blount, Jr. celebrates the corners and characters of the city. Blount takes Debbie Elliott for a stroll through the French Quarter.
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