Books: Book Reviews, Book News, and Author Interviews NPR's brings you news about books and authors along with our picks for great reads. Interviews, reviews, and much more.

Books

John Nichols wrote more than 20 works of fiction and nonfiction, most centered around his adopted home of northern New Mexico. He was a photographer as well. Susan Crutchfield/University of New Mexico Press hide caption

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Susan Crutchfield/University of New Mexico Press
Illustrations Copyright © 2023 by Jon Klassen

Inquiring minds want to know: 'How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney?'

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Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., vice chairwoman of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol, participates in the panel's last public meeting on Dec. 19, 2022 in Washington, D.C. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

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Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Penguin Random House

A theater critic and a hotel maid are on the case in 2 captivating mystery novels

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In Apple TV+'s Slow Horses, Gary Oldman plays Jackson Lamb, the slovenly, brilliant spy who's in charge of a group of failed British spies. The series is based on Mick Herron's Slough House novels. Herron says Lamb might not have "a heart of gold" but he does have "a moral code." Apple TV+ hide caption

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Apple TV+

Gary Oldman had 'free rein' in spy thriller 'Slow Horses' — now back for Season 3

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Illustration by Luke Medina. Luke Medina/NPR hide caption

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Luke Medina/NPR

2023 Books We Love: Staff Picks

NPR's Books We Love is a roundup of favorite books of the year, sorted and tagged to help you find exactly what you're looking for. Recommendations come in from critics and contributors and today, we're highlighting picks from NPR staff.

2023 Books We Love: Staff Picks

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Author Shahnaz Habib next to the cover of her new book, Airplane Mode. Author photo by Eva Garmendia hide caption

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Author photo by Eva Garmendia
Penguin Random House

'If you have a face, you have a place in the conversation about AI,' expert says

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Jon Batiste unveiled his first symphonic composition, American Symphony, at New York's Carnegie Hall on September 22, 2022. An eponymous documentary by Matthew Heineman follows his life with his wife. Netflix hide caption

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Netflix

Jon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad share journey of 'two extremes' in American Symphony

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Parents Against Bad Books co-founder Carolyn Harrison (center) talks with people last month outside the public library in Idaho Falls, Idaho, about what she considers obscene books on the shelves. Kim Raff for NPR hide caption

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Kim Raff for NPR

In the battle over books, who gets to decide what's age-appropriate at libraries?

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A group of protestors march in front of the General Accounting Office on March 29, 1995, to raise awareness about the mysterious object that was found in Roswell, N.M., in 1947. Joshua Roberts/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Joshua Roberts/AFP via Getty Images

How the Roswell 'UFO' spurred our modern age of conspiracy theories

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Arthur Brooks and Oprah Winfrey taping their podcast about happiness Harpo, Inc./Huy Doan hide caption

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Harpo, Inc./Huy Doan

In the book 'Build the Life You Want,' Oprah has some advice for being happier

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Illustrations © Axel Scheffler

Beware! 'The Baddies' are here to scare your kids — and make them laugh

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How comic Leslie Jones went from funniest person on campus to 'SNL' star

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Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images, Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images, Amazon

Stephanie Land's 2019 memoir Maid became a 10-part Netflix series. Erika Peterman/Simon & Schuster hide caption

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Erika Peterman/Simon & Schuster

A memoir about life 'in the margins,' 'Class' picks up where 'Maid' left off

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