by Jennifer Miller
Being a positive role model is usually a part of a teacher's job description, but author Jennifer Miller knows not everyone lives up to that standard. She recommends three books about educators who lead students astray. Do you have a favorite book about a teacher? Tell us in the comments.
by Meghan Daum
Who says unlikable characters make for unlikable books? The prickly people in Zoe Heller's The Believers are infused with wit and intelligence. Author Meghan Daum says she has recommended the poignant satire to more friends than she can count.
Many of the picks from Fresh Air's book critic look back at tough times from earlier eras, or lives upended by disaster. The best books of the year include a work of nonfiction that reveals the hidden fantasy land of a founder of American industry, and a novel that doesn't apologize for the bad behavior of its characters. Plus, a bonus mystery pick.
By refusing to serve up even one likable main character, Zoe Heller's new novel raises implicit questions about readers' expectations about fiction. Reviewer Maureen Corrigan calls The Believers a "smart, caustic novel."
Novelist Zoe Heller has a soft spot for selfish characters. But, the author says, just because her characters are unlikable, doesn't mean they are without virtue. Her new novel, The Believers, uncovers a tangled web of secrets inside a lefty New York family.
by Zoe Heller
Zoe Heller's new book,
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