archive
First Reads
First Read: Barbara Kingsolver's 'Flight Behavior'
October 17, 2012 Barbara Kingsolver's new novel weaves together a story of personal awakening with larger themes of environmental stewardship and climate change. Heroine Dellarobia Turnbow's life begins to change when she sees a strange vision in the Appalachian hills — a lake seemingly afire.
Books
Some Book! 'Charlotte's Web' Turns 60
October 15, 2012 E.B. White's classic children's book is ostensibly about a spider and a pig. But author Michael Sims says the story is really about the barn the critters live in, based on a real barn on White's Maine farm.
Poetry
'A Thousand Mornings' With Poet Mary Oliver
October 14, 2012 Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mary Oliver often writes about the natural world — the animals she sees and the woods she walks in. Her new book, A Thousand Mornings, collects her morning meditations as she stands by her door, notebook and pen in hand.
Author Interviews
A Year's Worth Of Facts From An NPR Librarian
October 13, 2012 NPR's longest-serving reference librarian, Kee Malesky, is the author of a new book, Learn Something New Every Day: 365 Facts to Fulfill Your Life. Malesky offers facts for each day of the year, from the landing on the moon to the invention of sliced bread.
Books
From Boy King Of Texas To Literary Superstar
October 11, 2012 A few days ago, Domingo Martinez was just a regular guy working as a graphic designer and writing on the side. Then on Wednesday he woke up to find himself nominated for the National Book Award for nonfiction for his book, The Boy Kings of Texas.
Books
Mo Yan's 'Hallucinatory Realism' Wins Literature Nobel
October 11, 2012 The Swedish Academy praised the Chinese writer's work, which "merges folk tales, history and the contemporary." The award is a cause of pride for a government that disowned the only previous Chinese winner of the award, an exiled critic.
Author Interviews
Emma Thompson Revives Anarchist Bunny 'Peter Rabbit'
October 11, 2012 After more than 80 years, Emma Thompson's The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit brings Beatrix Potter's beloved character back for a romp around the Scottish countryside — and lots of rule breaking. Thompson says Peter Rabbit's "disrespect for authority" is one of the things she loves about him.
Book Reviews
'Skinny' Starts A Conversation For Overweight Teens
October 10, 2012 Donna Cooner's new young adult novel, Skinny, follows Ever, an obese teenage girl who decides to have weight loss surgery. Reviewer Jennifer Longmire-Wright says Skinny is the start of an important conversation for overweight teens — but doesn't adequately portray the difficulties of surgery.
Author Interviews
Virgin's Richard Branson Bares His Business 'Secrets'
October 10, 2012 Branson dropped out of school at 15, but by 16 he had his own magazine, and by 21 he had opened his first business — Virgin Records. Today, he's the head of a global business empire. In Like a Virgin, Branson shares the story of his success.
PG-13: Risky Reads
Poison And Petticoats: The Incomplete Jane Austen
October 9, 2012 When Rebecca Harrington ran out of Jane Austen novels, she was devastated — until she discovered Austen's Juvenilia, a treasure trove of unfinished novels, stories and letters. Do you like reading unpublished work by your favorite author? Tell us in the comments.
Author Interviews
In 'House,' Erdrich Sets Revenge On A Reservation
October 2, 2012 After his mother is sexually assaulted, 13-year-old Joe Coutts is desperate for answers. But when both official and tribal investigations let him down, he takes matters into his own hands. Louise Erdrich pits justice against vengeance in her new novel, The Round House.
Author Interviews
Schwarzenegger's 'Total Recall' Of His Life, So Far
October 2, 2012 Arnold Schwarzenegger has lived a long life in just 65 years, from poor immigrant to giant bodybuilder, from Hollywood action star to governor of California. He recounts it all — his successes and failures, his dreams and challenges — in his new autobiography, Total Recall.
Books
Boozy Birth Of The American Mafia In Lehane's Latest
October 2, 2012 Author Dennis Lehane says he has always loved the clothes, cars and movies of the Prohibition era — which might be why he has set his new novel there. Live By Night doesn't tell the usual Prohibition story about whiskey smugglers — instead it heads south to Florida for a gritty tale of rumrunning.
Books
Put Down Your E-Reader: This Book Is Better In Print
September 28, 2012 It's the era of the e-reader, and book lovers are trying to get used to reading on the screen. But every now and then, a book comes along that just seems to insist on being physical. The publishers of a richly illustrated retelling of Homer's Odyssey say not all books are meant to be e-books
Books
Poverty Informs J.K. Rowling's New Novel For Adults
September 27, 2012 The Casual Vacancy is worlds away from Hogwarts and Harry Potter. It's a dark comedy of manners, set in a small town in the aftermath of a local politician's death. Rowling says her experiences with poverty informed her gritty portrayal of English life.
