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Is The World 'Getting Somalia Wrong?'()
November 29, 2012 Somalia hasn't had a functioning central government for more than 20 years. But journalist Mary Harper says its image as a failed state is misleading. She argues that, even without a central government, businesses and local politics have found a way to flourish. Host Michel Martin talks with Mary Harper about her new book, Getting Somalia Wrong?
After Decades Of Dreaming, Dolly Parton Says, 'Dream More'()
November 27, 2012 When Parton told her high-school classmates that she planned to go to Nashville and become a star, the whole class burst into laughter. In her book Dream More, Parton explains the principles behind her success and describes how she became one of the best-selling recording artists of all time.
'The Last Refuge': Yemen, Al-Qaida And The U.S.()
November 27, 2012 In his new book, journalist Gregory Johnsen charts the rise of Yemen as a haven for al-Qaida and explores the recent history of radical Islam in the Arabian Peninsula. The death of Osama bin Laden, he says, had more of an effect on the U.S. psyche than it did on people in Yemen.
Jonathan Kozol On Kids Who Survive Inner Cities()
November 26, 2012 Jonathan Kozol has chronicled the lives of lower income children for nearly fifty years. In his new book, Fire In The Ashes, Kozol writes about families that he met in the 1980s, and the inspiring — and sometimes tragic — turns their lives have taken. He shares their stories with host Michel Martin.
Mantel Takes Up Betrayal, Beheadings In 'Bodies'()
November 26, 2012 Hilary Mantel is the first woman to win the Man Booker Prize twice, first for her 2009 novel, Wolf Hall, and now for that book's 2012 sequel, Bring Up the Bodies. The novels are part of a historical fiction trilogy about Tudor England and the events surrounding the reign of King Henry VIII.
Memoir Traces How Cartoonist Lost Her 'Marbles'()
November 26, 2012 Just before her 30th birthday, Ellen Forney received a diagnosis that finally explained her super-charged highs and debilitating lows: bipolar disorder. In Marbles, a new graphic memoir, Forney recalls both the pain and the humor of her path to stability.
Uncovered Letters Reveal A New Side Of William Styron()
November 25, 2012 The momentous life of Pulitzer Prize winner William Styron is now chronicled in more than 1,000 of his letters compiled by his widow, Rose Styron. The collection is called, Selected Letters of William Styron.
'The Missing Ink' And The Intimacy Of Writing()
November 25, 2012 When Philip Hensher realized he didn't know what his best friend's handwriting looked like, he decided to write a book. Host Rachel Martin speaks with Hensher about that book, The Missing Ink: The Lost Art of Handwriting.
Old Newspapers, New Perspectives On The American Revolution()
November 25, 2012 For his new book, archivist Todd Andrlik tracked down 18th century newspapers to provide a sense of the Revolution as it actually unfolded. Andrlik says the newspapers preserve things that didn't make it into history textbooks — like the fact that the Boston Tea Party was not universally popular.
A White Face With A Forgotten African Family()
November 24, 2012 Growing up blond-haired and blue-eyed in Southern California, Joe Mozingo always thought his family name was Italian. In his book Fiddler on Pantico Run, he tells the family's secret, buried in 300 years of American history.
A Refugee's Multilayered Experience In 'Ru'()
November 24, 2012 Kim Thuy based her award-winning novel Ru on her own experiences as a refugee from war-torn Vietnam. She says the word "ru" has a poetic double meaning: In archaic French, it means a rill or stream, but in Vietnamese, it means a lullaby to soothe a child.
'Unorthodox' Book Of 'Jewish Jocks' Puts Stereotypes Aside()
November 23, 2012 Talking about Jews in sports touches a "very central place in the Jewish psyche," says Franklin Foer. He and co-editor Marc Tracy have compiled an "unorthodox hall of fame" celebrating Jewish contributions to American athletics.
'A History Of The World' Through A Mapmaker's Eyes()
November 22, 2012 In A History of the World in Twelve Maps, Jerry Brotton examines the construction of a dozen world maps throughout history, and argues that world maps are no more objective today than they were thousands of years ago.
The Salt
A Readable Feast: Poems To Feed 'The Hungry Ear'()
November 22, 2012 According to poet Kevin Young, the best poems are like the best meals — they're made from scratch. Young has edited a new collection of poems that celebrate the pleasures of food, from "butter disappearing into whipped sweet potatoes" to oysters that taste like "starlight."
National Book Award Winner Inspired By Tragedy()
November 21, 2012 A devastating crime on a Native American reservation opens up questions about law, justice, and family in Louise Erdrich's latest novel, The Round House. It's the winner of this year's National Book Award for fiction. Erdrich discusses the book with guest host Celeste Headlee. Advisory: This conversation may not be comfortable for all listeners.
