NPR Topics: Summer Reading: Nonfiction http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1089&ft=1&f=1089 Selections for great summer nonfiction. Book reviews, excerpts, and author interviews. Suscribe to the Summer Reading Nonfiction RSS feed. Copyright 2009 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.93 Sun, 26 Jul 2009 00:02:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Summer Reading: Nonfiction http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1089&ft=1&f=1089 Excerpt: 'The End Of Overeating This book reveals how the American food industry has harnessed the chemistry of sugar, salt and fat to make us eat too much, too fast and too often. Sun, 26 Jul 2009 00:02:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106657694&ft=1&f=1089 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106657694&ft=1&f=1089 This book reveals how the American food industry has harnessed the chemistry of sugar, salt and fat to make us eat too much, too fast and too often.

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]]> Excerpt: 'A Bright And Guilty Place' Richard Rayner's nonfiction account of Los Angeles in the 1920s demonstrates the truth behind the noir. Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:58:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104869944&ft=1&f=1089 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104869944&ft=1&f=1089 Richard Rayner's nonfiction account of Los Angeles in the 1920s demonstrates the truth behind the noir.

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]]> Excerpt: 'The Latehomecomer' Kao Kalia Yang's memoir is both a family chronicle and a history of the Hmong people. Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:04:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105174397&ft=1&f=1089 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105174397&ft=1&f=1089 Kao Kalia Yang's memoir is both a family chronicle and a history of the Hmong people.

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]]> Journalism's Courageous, Cantankerous Hero D.D. Guttenplan's biography of iconic investigative reporter I.F. Stone is well-researched and gracefully written. <em>American Radical</em> gets inside the head and heart of this anti-establishment journalist who became a Washington insider. Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:26:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104973792&ft=1&f=1089 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104973792&ft=1&f=1089 D.D. Guttenplan's biography of iconic investigative reporter I.F. Stone is well-researched and gracefully written. American Radical gets inside the head and heart of this anti-establishment journalist who became a Washington insider.

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]]> Excerpt: 'The Race Card' Are rampant claims of discrimination clouding our discussions of social problems and race? Law Professor Richard Thompson Ford examines abuses of the so-called "race card" while looking at wider problems of institutional racism. Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:33:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92295112&ft=1&f=1089 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92295112&ft=1&f=1089 Are rampant claims of discrimination clouding our discussions of social problems and race? Law Professor Richard Thompson Ford examines abuses of the so-called "race card" while looking at wider problems of institutional racism.

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]]> Excerpt: 'Hungry for Paris' Paris: the city of lights, the city of love, and &mdash; maybe most importantly &mdash; the city of food. Alexander Lobrano of <em>Gourmet</em> magazine samples the gastronomical delights of over a hundred Parisian restaurants, creating a guide that would satisfy any foodie. Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:02:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92293806&ft=1&f=1089 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92293806&ft=1&f=1089 Paris: the city of lights, the city of love, and — maybe most importantly — the city of food. Alexander Lobrano of Gourmet magazine samples the gastronomical delights of over a hundred Parisian restaurants, creating a guide that would satisfy any foodie.

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]]> 'First Stop' Captures Lurid, Vibrant Mexico City Half shantytown, half boomtown, the teeming and complex Mexican capital defies coherent description. David Lida's sharply drawn vignettes are expansive and vivid &mdash; like the city itself. Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93425566&ft=1&f=1089 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93425566&ft=1&f=1089 Half shantytown, half boomtown, the teeming and complex Mexican capital defies coherent description. David Lida's sharply drawn vignettes are expansive and vivid — like the city itself.

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]]> Where Do Jokes Come From? Funny You Should Ask <em>Stop Me If You've Heard This Before,</em> Jim Holt's funny, scholarly history of humor, ranges high and (very) low to answer the question, "What are <em>you</em> laughing at?" Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:44:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93336958&ft=1&f=1089 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93336958&ft=1&f=1089 Stop Me If You've Heard This Before, Jim Holt's funny, scholarly history of humor, ranges high and (very) low to answer the question, "What are you laughing at?"

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]]> Excerpt: 'Reading Comics: How Graphic Novels Work and What They Mean' Douglas Wolk takes graphic novels seriously and dissects today's comic-book landscape. Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:19:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91746247&ft=1&f=1089 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91746247&ft=1&f=1089 Douglas Wolk takes graphic novels seriously and dissects today's comic-book landscape.

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]]> Excerpt: 'The Great Comic Book Heroes' Jules Feiffer offers a critical history of comic books. He labels comics "junk" &mdash; only to vigorously defend our need for them. Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:12:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91746016&ft=1&f=1089 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91746016&ft=1&f=1089 Jules Feiffer offers a critical history of comic books. He labels comics "junk" — only to vigorously defend our need for them.

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]]> Surveying Sex, A To Z, In 'Dirty Words' Like most things that happen in the bedroom, the collection of essays found in <em>Dirty Words</em> is fun, naughty and totally inappropriate for the eyes of children. Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91960493&ft=1&f=1089 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91960493&ft=1&f=1089 Like most things that happen in the bedroom, the collection of essays found in Dirty Words is fun, naughty and totally inappropriate for the eyes of children.

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]]> Excerpt: 'Dirty Words' Adultery, commitment, sex, obsession &mdash; this encyclopedia covers all of these subjects and more. Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92031969&ft=1&f=1089 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92031969&ft=1&f=1089 Adultery, commitment, sex, obsession — this encyclopedia covers all of these subjects and more.

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]]> Political Books Trump Trashy Fiction Primary season is (finally) over, summer is (almost officially) here and, as <em>Publishers Weekly</em> reports, a new crop of political books is about to make its way to the stores. Hankering for a political classic? Check out our favorite books of all time. Tue, 17 Jun 2008 10:39:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91577754&ft=1&f=1089 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91577754&ft=1&f=1089 Primary season is (finally) over, summer is (almost officially) here and, as Publishers Weekly reports, a new crop of political books is about to make its way to the stores. Hankering for a political classic? Check out our favorite books of all time.

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]]> The Mystery of the World's Most Expensive Wine In 1985, a single bottle of wine purported to be from Thomas Jefferson's own cellar was sold at auction for $156,000. Benjamin Wallace traces the mystery surrounding the bottle in <em>The Billionaire's Vinegar.</em> Tue, 10 Jun 2008 14:07:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91117799&ft=1&f=1089 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91117799&ft=1&f=1089 In 1985, a single bottle of wine purported to be from Thomas Jefferson's own cellar was sold at auction for $156,000. Benjamin Wallace traces the mystery surrounding the bottle in The Billionaire's Vinegar.

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]]> Nine First Books that Make a Lasting Impression While there's definite comfort to be had in the familiar authors, sometimes what you really want is the spark and thrill of a chance encounter &mdash; that's where first books come in. Tue, 27 May 2008 00:32:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90483286&ft=1&f=1089 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90483286&ft=1&f=1089 While there's definite comfort to be had in the familiar authors, sometimes what you really want is the spark and thrill of a chance encounter — that's where first books come in.

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