Best Books Of 2011 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=142590674&ft=1&f=142590674 We're making our lists of the year's best reads. Find recommendations for mysteries, cookbooks, science fiction, teen lit, biographies and more. en Copyright 2013 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.94 Fri, 30 Dec 2011 07:00:00 -0500 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Best Books Of 2011 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=142590674&ft=1&f=142590674 Conversation Starters: 2011's Top 5 Book Club Picks These character-driven novels featuring fracturing families, intrepid scientists and one very plucky early American heroine will spark lively debate on everything from the unreliability of memory to scientific ethics. Wed, 07 Dec 2011 08:11:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2012/01/01/143163729/conversation-starters-2011s-top-5-book-club-picks?ft=1&f=142590674 http://www.npr.org/2012/01/01/143163729/conversation-starters-2011s-top-5-book-club-picks?ft=1&f=142590674 These character-driven novels featuring fracturing families, intrepid scientists and one very plucky early American heroine will spark lively debate on everything from the unreliability of memory to scientific ethics.

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]]> Savage Beauty: The Top 3 Poems Of 2011 Poet Tracy K. Smith's three favorite poems of 2011 blur the private and public, the personal and political, and will refresh how you look at language and the world. Fri, 30 Dec 2011 07:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/30/144435998/savage-beauty-the-top-3-poems-of-2011?ft=1&f=142590674 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/30/144435998/savage-beauty-the-top-3-poems-of-2011?ft=1&f=142590674 Poet Tracy K. Smith's three favorite poems of 2011 blur the private and public, the personal and political, and will refresh how you look at language and the world.

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]]> Truth And Beauty: 2011's Best American Poetry Critic David Orr surveys the "jumbled landscape" of American poetry to select his favorite collections of the year: five books that will alternately comfort and challenge you. Thu, 29 Dec 2011 07:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/29/144197310/truth-and-beauty-2011s-best-american-poetry?ft=1&f=142590674 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/29/144197310/truth-and-beauty-2011s-best-american-poetry?ft=1&f=142590674 Critic David Orr surveys the "jumbled landscape" of American poetry to select his favorite collections of the year: five books that will alternately comfort and challenge you.

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]]> Staff Picks: The Best Music Books Of 2011 The NPR Music staff presents 12 titles that range from the art of album covers to disco to Def Jam to metal to MTV. This year, our favorite music reads were mostly revealing biographies and wide-spanning analyses. Wed, 28 Dec 2011 07:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/28/144325843/staff-picks-the-best-music-books-of-2011?ft=1&f=142590674 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/28/144325843/staff-picks-the-best-music-books-of-2011?ft=1&f=142590674 The NPR Music staff presents 12 titles that range from the art of album covers to disco to Def Jam to metal to MTV. This year, our favorite music reads were mostly revealing biographies and wide-spanning analyses.

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]]> A Passion For The Past: 2011's Best Historical Fiction These five outstanding novels take us to unfamiliar eras and exotic locales — ancient Israel, Elizabethan England, 1920s Paris — while confirming our common humanity. Fri, 16 Dec 2011 07:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/24/143149380/a-passion-for-the-past-2011s-best-historical-fiction?ft=1&f=142590674 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/24/143149380/a-passion-for-the-past-2011s-best-historical-fiction?ft=1&f=142590674 These five outstanding novels take us to unfamiliar eras and exotic locales — ancient Israel, Elizabethan England, 1920s Paris — while confirming our common humanity.

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]]> Fired Up: The Year's Best Science Fiction, Fantasy Science fiction and fantasy books aren't just getting more popular, they're interbreeding with other genres to produce wild new hybrid forms — swapping DNA with literary novels, commenting on current events, morphing into historical science fiction romances, and evolving into hard-boiled detective fantasy. Thu, 15 Dec 2011 08:16:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/23/143596229/fired-up-the-years-best-science-fiction-fantasy?ft=1&f=142590674 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/23/143596229/fired-up-the-years-best-science-fiction-fantasy?ft=1&f=142590674 Science fiction and fantasy books aren't just getting more popular, they're interbreeding with other genres to produce wild new hybrid forms — swapping DNA with literary novels, commenting on current events, morphing into historical science fiction romances, and evolving into hard-boiled detective fantasy.

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]]> Indulge Yourself: 2011's Best Celebrity Tell-Alls Susan Jane Gilman recommends behind-the-scenes reads about the rich and famous — by a rock star, a hotel concierge, a stuntman and a Brat Packer, all offering backstage passes to their glamorous lives. Entertaining and star-studded, they make for perfect holiday escapism — with a cocktail (or two) in hand. Thu, 22 Dec 2011 07:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/22/143643070/indulge-yourself-2011s-best-celebrity-tell-alls?ft=1&f=142590674 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/22/143643070/indulge-yourself-2011s-best-celebrity-tell-alls?ft=1&f=142590674 Susan Jane Gilman recommends behind-the-scenes reads about the rich and famous — by a rock star, a hotel concierge, a stuntman and a Brat Packer, all offering backstage passes to their glamorous lives. Entertaining and star-studded, they make for perfect holiday escapism — with a cocktail (or two) in hand.

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]]> Six Graphic Novels That Will Draw You In Critic Dan Kois selects the standout graphic novels of the year, which include books from France and Japan, explicit picaresques, hard-boiled mysteries, memoirs, fairy tales and new twists on old classics. Wed, 21 Dec 2011 07:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/21/142899602/six-graphic-novels-that-will-draw-you-in?ft=1&f=142590674 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/21/142899602/six-graphic-novels-that-will-draw-you-in?ft=1&f=142590674 Critic Dan Kois selects the standout graphic novels of the year, which include books from France and Japan, explicit picaresques, hard-boiled mysteries, memoirs, fairy tales and new twists on old classics.

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]]> The Lives Of Geniuses: Five Brilliant Biographies These five books take us inside the minds of a founding father and the father of the iPod; the vexing artists who brought us <em>Starry Night </em>and <em>Slaughterhouse-Five</em>; and the couple whose scientific discoveries changed the world in awesome, and awful, ways. Tue, 20 Dec 2011 07:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/20/143160045/the-lives-of-geniuses-five-brilliant-biographies?ft=1&f=142590674 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/20/143160045/the-lives-of-geniuses-five-brilliant-biographies?ft=1&f=142590674 These five books take us inside the minds of a founding father and the father of the iPod; the vexing artists who brought us Starry Night and Slaughterhouse-Five; and the couple whose scientific discoveries changed the world in awesome, and awful, ways.

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]]> The Teens Are All Right: 2011's Top 5 YA Novels Young adult literature has never been so psychologically probing or artistically ambitious as it is today. Marissa Meyer's favorite novels beguile, thrill and, above all, transport younger readers to a Shakespearean magical theater, futuristic Chicago and a netherworld of ghost hunters. Mon, 19 Dec 2011 07:43:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/19/143589123/the-teens-are-all-right-2011s-top-5-ya-novels?ft=1&f=142590674 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/19/143589123/the-teens-are-all-right-2011s-top-5-ya-novels?ft=1&f=142590674 Young adult literature has never been so psychologically probing or artistically ambitious as it is today. Marissa Meyer's favorite novels beguile, thrill and, above all, transport younger readers to a Shakespearean magical theater, futuristic Chicago and a netherworld of ghost hunters.

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]]> Year-End Wrap-Up: The 10 Best Novels Of 2011 2011 was a terrific year for fiction — both from first-time novelists and much-decorated veterans. Maureen Corrigan's recommendations range from Karen Russell's dazzling debut, to David Foster Wallace's posthumously published novel, to what may be <em>the </em>Sept. 11 novel. Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:24:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/14/143293240/year-end-fiction-wrap-up-the-10-best-novels-of-2011?ft=1&f=142590674 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/14/143293240/year-end-fiction-wrap-up-the-10-best-novels-of-2011?ft=1&f=142590674 2011 was a terrific year for fiction — both from first-time novelists and much-decorated veterans. Maureen Corrigan's recommendations range from Karen Russell's dazzling debut, to David Foster Wallace's posthumously published novel, to what may be the Sept. 11 novel.

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]]> 7 Books With Personality: Nancy Pearl's 2011 Picks NPR's go-to librarian would like you to meet some friends of hers — from six novels and one work of history. As you read, these artfully developed characters will become more and more real. Pearl says that when the stories ended, she was left longing for the people she'd met between the pages. Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:01:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/13/143354443/7-books-with-personality-nancy-pearls-2011-picks?ft=1&f=142590674 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/13/143354443/7-books-with-personality-nancy-pearls-2011-picks?ft=1&f=142590674 NPR's go-to librarian would like you to meet some friends of hers — from six novels and one work of history. As you read, these artfully developed characters will become more and more real. Pearl says that when the stories ended, she was left longing for the people she'd met between the pages.

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]]> Booksellers' Picks: Catch The Year's Freshest Reads Susan Stamberg gathers recommendations for the season's best books from independent booksellers Lucia Silva, Rona Brinlee and Daniel Goldin. This winter, their top picks range in subject from toasters to typeface, odd bookmarks to old Volkswagens, department stores to pasta design. Fri, 09 Dec 2011 03:09:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/09/143222944/booksellers-picks-catch-the-years-freshest-reads?ft=1&f=142590674 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/09/143222944/booksellers-picks-catch-the-years-freshest-reads?ft=1&f=142590674 Susan Stamberg gathers recommendations for the season's best books from independent booksellers Lucia Silva, Rona Brinlee and Daniel Goldin. This winter, their top picks range in subject from toasters to typeface, odd bookmarks to old Volkswagens, department stores to pasta design.

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]]> Top 5 Books For Backseat Readers (Age 9 And Up) Since starting NPR's Backseat Book Club, Michele Norris has been swimming in "kid lit." The five stories on her year-end list will seep into your heart and leave you thinking about the characters long after you've turned the final pages. Thu, 08 Dec 2011 08:14:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/08/143164334/top-5-books-for-backseat-readers-age-9-and-up?ft=1&f=142590674 http://www.npr.org/2011/12/08/143164334/top-5-books-for-backseat-readers-age-9-and-up?ft=1&f=142590674 Since starting NPR's Backseat Book Club, Michele Norris has been swimming in "kid lit." The five stories on her year-end list will seep into your heart and leave you thinking about the characters long after you've turned the final pages.

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]]> From Tiny To Tome, The Best Gift Books Of 2011 There's a difference between great books and great <em>gift</em> books, and <em>these</em> are the books to put bows on. Critic John McAlley presents 20 titles that span Harry Potter, Alexander McQueen, Annie Leibovitz, Mickey Mouse, the periodic table elements and the dictionary — something for everyone on your list. Tue, 06 Dec 2011 07:41:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/2011/11/30/142951399/from-tiny-to-tome-the-best-gift-books-of-2011?ft=1&f=142590674 http://www.npr.org/2011/11/30/142951399/from-tiny-to-tome-the-best-gift-books-of-2011?ft=1&f=142590674 There's a difference between great books and great gift books, and these are the books to put bows on. Critic John McAlley presents 20 titles that span Harry Potter, Alexander McQueen, Annie Leibovitz, Mickey Mouse, the periodic table elements and the dictionary — something for everyone on your list.

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