Books
What We're Reading, Feb. 9 - 15, 2010
()Three novels of past and present: Lynn Neary reviews the "perfect" novel for our down economy — written before the banks failed. Steve Inskeep reads a tale of political infighting resonant of today, but that follows events in Cicero's Rome. And Alan Cheuse celebrates The Lost Books of the Odyssey, a novel both timeless and very contemporary.
What We're Reading, Feb. 9 - 15, 2010
Three standout novels: busted bankers, politics Roman style, and the Odyssey's lost books.
Paperback Fiction Bestsellers
Paperback Fiction Bestsellers For Feb. 4()
February 4, 2010 Abraham Verghese, author of Cutting For Stone is also a practicing physician, and he spares no detail in his novel, in revealing the inner workings of the world of medicine. His story, about a family of doctors, debuts on the list at No. 5.
Author Interviews
DeLillo's Man In The Desert, Up Against The Wall()
February 8, 2010 The author's latest novel is Point Omega, the story of a man who aided in the planning of the Iraq war. Like many of the books in DeLillo's 40-year career, it connects real-life events with themes of isolation and inevitability.
Interviews
Jenny Sanford Details Tumult In 'Staying True'()
February 8, 2010 Of the recent political scandals involving infidelity — John Edwards, Elliott Spitzer, James McGreevy — one stands out, not for what the politician did, but for what his wife did not do. Jenny Sanford, wife of Gov. Mark Sanford, did not stand by her man in the cameras' glare. Her new memoir explains why.
Author Interviews
From Erdrich, A Page Turner With Deceit At Heart()
February 7, 2010 Louise Erdrich's new novel, Shadow Tag, is the story of a woman who writes two diaries — one that she knows her husband is reading, and one that she keeps secret. As she manipulates her husband, their marriage falls apart.
Observations Of China, From Behind The Wheel()
February 8, 2010 In summer 2001, New Yorker Beijing correspondent Peter Hessler got his Chinese driver's license. For the next seven years, he traveled thousands of miles through China, reporting on how the car is transforming the country.
Book Reviews
An Aimless Walk With An 'Unnamed' Destination()
February 4, 2010 Tim Farnsworth, a partner at a Manhattan law firm, has been beset by a mysterious condition — a compulsion to walk until he collapses from exhaustion. Like its protagonist, Joshua Ferris' new novel moves resolutely forward with a fixed, trancelike purposelessness.
Author Interviews
Temple Grandin: The Woman Who Talks to Animals()
February 5, 2010 Temple Grandin is one of the world's greatest animal behaviorists. She is also autistic — and has put that to work for her. Grandin has written several books on animals, including Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior. This weekend, HBO will premiere a made-for-TV movie based on her life.
Super Bowl XLIV: Colts Vs. Saints
Ravens Coach Brian Billick Tackles Super Bowl XLIV()
February 4, 2010 During his nine years as the coach of the Baltimore Ravens, Brian Billick led the team to a Super Bowl win in 2001. Now a commentator for Fox Sports and the NFL Network, he joins Fresh Air to discuss the upcoming Super Bowl — and the future of the NFL.
Non-Fiction
Three Americans In London, Fighting For War()
February 3, 2010 Citizens of London is Lynne Olson's history of three Americans who helped steer the United States toward World War II. Edward R. Murrow, Averell Harriman and John Gilbert Winant sold the war to the American public and to President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Books We Like
Sci-Fi Novels To Keep You Awake At Night()
February 2, 2010 Two new novels should keep science fiction fans happy through the winter: Charlie Huston's Sleepless, the story of an insomnia plague, and Douglas Preston's Impact, in which human beings find themselves threatened by strange bombardments from the direction of Mars.
