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History
Immigration, The Gold Mountain And A Wedding Photo()
July 21, 2012 A new National Archives exhibit charts the stories of 19th and early 20th century immigrants to America through documents and photographs attached to their case files. For one historian, one of these "attachments" turned out to be "like a breakthrough discovery of a lifetime."
New In Paperback
Affairs Of The Heart: Studies In Love, Seduction And Girlhood()
July 19, 2012 Wild author Cheryl Strayed, aka "Dear Sugar," shares her big-hearted relationship advice, while Elaine Sciolino investigates the French art of everyday seduction and Elissa Schappell delivers a story collection about the paradoxes of the feminine psyche.
First Reads
Exclusive First Read: 'The Dog Stars'()
July 18, 2012 Set in the Rocky Mountains after an epidemic has killed off most of society, The Dog Stars, by adventure writer Peter Heller, casts an unusual mood as it alternates between elegiac reflection, lyrical nature writing and intense, high-caliber action. The Dog Stars will be published on Aug. 7.
Remembrances
'Encyclopedia Brown' Author Dies At 87()
July 17, 2012 Donald Sobol, author of the popular Encyclopedia Brown series died last week in Miami. Sobol's first big success in writing came in 1958, with his syndicated column, Two-Minute Mysteries.
The Two-Way
Stephen Covey, Author Of '7 Habits,' Dead At 79()
July 16, 2012 Covey advocated for a moral transformation in business. To do good, he said, you have to be good.
Crime In The City
Big Crime, Little State: Murder, Mystery In Providence, R.I.()
July 16, 2012 For author Bruce DeSilva, Providence, R.I.'s storied history of mob violence and small-town sense of intimacy make it the perfect place to set his crime fiction. The only trouble, he says, is toning down the truth just enough to make it believable.
In 'Red Chamber,' A Love Triangle For The Ages()
July 15, 2012 Before most Chinese readers learned of Romeo and Juliet, they fell for Dream of the Red Chamber. The 18th-century novel follows a love triangle between a boy and his two female cousins. It's been called China's greatest literary work, and now a new adaptation hopes to introduce it to an American audience.
Books
Original Fiction In All The 'Shades' Of Fandom()
July 13, 2012 Fifty Shades of Grey, the biggest phenomenon in publishing right now, began as a work of fan fiction based on the Twilight books. Now, author E.L. James is taking the series to the ultimate fans: attendees at this year's San Diego Comic-Con.
Author Interviews
A Tale Of Two Cities: Author Donna Leon's Venice()
July 13, 2012 American author Donna Leon uses the Italian city as the backdrop for her Commissario Brunetti detective stories. In Leon's Venice, the violence usually occurs at dawn. This piece, part of our Crime in the City series, originally aired August 8, 2007 on Morning Edition.
Crime In The City
Dark Doings Among The D.C. Monuments()
July 9, 2012 NPR's Linda Wertheimer walks the halls of power — and the local cafes — with crime novelist Mike Lawson, whose Joe DeMarco books serve up murder and mayhem in the nation's capital.
Jamaica Does Literary Fest With A Caribbean Twist()
July 5, 2012 Rasta men, international literati and jerk chicken are just some of what you'll find at Jamaica's Calabash Literary Festival, an event that is reinventing the lit fest tradition by adding a distinctly Jamaican spirit. You may never look at those other wine-and-cheese shindigs in the same way.
Books
Dog Memoirs Will Fetch, Sit And Stay On Your Shelf()
July 3, 2012 NPR reporter — and proud corgi owner — Julie Rovner takes a break from covering health care policy to dig through the pile of dog memoirs in the Morning Edition mailbox. From heartwarming to hard-nosed, there's something for everyone.
Author Interviews
Colum McCann Links Communities With Storytelling()
June 26, 2012 When Colum McCann came to the U.S. from Ireland in the early 1980s, he set out on a cross-country bicycle trip to get to know his new country and its stories. He's spent the years since telling those tales through prose. With his Story Swap project, McCann is helping diverse communities better understand each other by sharing their own stories.
Books
Four Books To Help You Master Chicago Politics ()
June 26, 2012 The term "Chicago politics" gets bandied about whenever people complain about what they see as corruption and abuse of power. But what does it actually mean? These four books examine the city's hardball approach to politics through various lenses.
