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Books

Book Concierge: Book Club Ideas
Becky Harlan/NPR

Review

Pop Culture Happy Hour

Book Concierge: Book Club Ideas

Every year, NPR brings together some of the best books of the year in a searchable, explorable guide called the Book Concierge. Today, All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro gives us his recommendations for your next book club.

Book Concierge: Book Club Ideas

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Illustrators Build A Bridge For Young Readers, Says Artist James Ransome

James E. Ransome, Quilt Folks, acrylic and paper collage James E. Ransome hide caption

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James E. Ransome

Fine Art

Illustrators Build A Bridge For Young Readers, Says Artist James Ransome

Ransome is well-known and loved for his illustrations, especially for his many children's books. But at age 60 he recently earned an MFA, and is developing a parallel career as a painter.

Illustrators Build A Bridge For Young Readers, Says Artist James Ransome

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'A Beginner's Guide To America' Shows Us The States Through New Eyes
Knopf

Author Interviews

'A Beginner's Guide To America' Shows Us The States Through New Eyes

Roya Hakakian was a teenager when she came to the United States from Iran. she says she hopes her book will help native-born Americans see all the small signs of democracy they don't usually notice.

'A Beginner's Guide To America' Shows Us The States Through New Eyes

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Charlie Jane Anders: How Can Science Fiction Allow Us To Imagine Better Futures?
Courtesy of TED

TED Radio Hour

Charlie Jane Anders: How Can Science Fiction Allow Us To Imagine Better Futures?

Science fiction author Charlie Jane Anders explains how the genre is a portal for us to imagine different ways of being human. She invites listeners into one new world with an excerpt from her work.

Charlie Jane Anders: How Can Science Fiction Allow Us To Imagine Better Futures?

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In 'Abundance,' Measuring A Life In Dollars And Cents
Graywolf Press

Author Interviews

In 'Abundance,' Measuring A Life In Dollars And Cents

In his debut novel, Jakob Guanzon wanted to write about hunger and need and the one thing that's inescapable for anyone living paycheck-to-paycheck: The fluctuating numbers of your budget.

In 'Abundance,' Measuring A Life In Dollars And Cents

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Kazuo Ishiguro Draws On His Songwriting Past To Write Novels About The Future

Kazuo Ishiguro won the Nobel Prize for literature in 2017. His previous novels include The Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go. He also writes lyrics for jazz singer Stacey Kent. Andrew Testa for the New York Times/Penguin Random House hide caption

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Andrew Testa for the New York Times/Penguin Random House

Author Interviews

Kazuo Ishiguro Draws On His Songwriting Past To Write Novels About The Future

Fresh Air

The Nobel Prize-winning novelist says he honed his skills earlier in his career "as a writer of songs." Ishiguro's new book, Klara And The Sun, is set in the future and has an A.I. narrator.

Kazuo Ishiguro Draws On His Songwriting Past To Write Novels About The Future

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We Have Much To Learn From 'A Place Like Mississippi'
Timber Press

Author Interviews

We Have Much To Learn From 'A Place Like Mississippi'

W. Ralph Eubanks' new book examines Mississippi's mighty contributions to American literature, and what writers like Eudora Welty and Jesmyn Ward can teach us about broader national issues.

We Have Much To Learn From 'A Place Like Mississippi'

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The Age Of Automation Is Now: Here's How To 'Futureproof' Yourself
Yuichiro Chino/Getty Images

Technology

The Age Of Automation Is Now: Here's How To 'Futureproof' Yourself

Fresh Air

New York Times tech columnist Kevin Roose says we've been approaching automation all wrong. "We should be teaching people ... to be more like humans, to do the things that machines can't do," he says.

The Age Of Automation Is Now: Here's How To 'Futureproof' Yourself

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'Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue' Offers Look At Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Early Work

Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue: A Life's Work Fighting for a More Perfect Union, by Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Amanda Tyler University of California Press hide caption

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University of California Press

Author Interviews

'Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue' Offers Look At Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Early Work

One of the justice's former clerks, Amanda Tyler, worked with her on the collection that includes historic opinions and arguments from earlier years when she appeared as a lawyer before the top court.

'Justice, Justice Thou Shalt Pursue' Offers Look At Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Early Work

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Bill Gates Weighs In On 'How To Avoid A Climate Disaster' With New Book

Bill Gates delivers a speech at the fundraising day at the Sixth World Fund Conference in Lyon, France, on Oct. 10, 2019. NurPhoto via Getty Images hide caption

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NurPhoto via Getty Images

Author Interviews

Bill Gates Weighs In On 'How To Avoid A Climate Disaster' With New Book

The Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist tells NPR "I don't think the understanding of climate change is nearly as deep as it needs to be."

Bill Gates Weighs In On 'How To Avoid A Climate Disaster' With New Book

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Blowing Bubbles And Running From Bombs: The Reality Of War For The Children Of Syria

Jan. 19, 2017: Douma — A young girl blows bubbles. Bassam Khabieh/Reuters hide caption

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Bassam Khabieh/Reuters

The Picture Show

Blowing Bubbles And Running From Bombs: The Reality Of War For The Children Of Syria

As the 10-year anniversary of the war approaches, a new book from the photojournalist Bassam Khabieh shares moments of normalcy and resilience against a backdrop of violence, displacement and fear.

Blowing Bubbles And Running From Bombs: The Reality Of War For The Children Of Syria

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'Silence Is A Sense' Works To Dispel The Terrible Abstractions Of Syria's Civil War
Algonquin Books

Author Interviews

'Silence Is A Sense' Works To Dispel The Terrible Abstractions Of Syria's Civil War

Layla Alammar's new novel is about a journalist who's fled the Syrian civil war for a new life in London — but can only tell anonymous stories about her neighbors because trauma has left her silent.

'Silence Is A Sense' Works To Dispel The Terrible Abstractions Of Syria's Civil War

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