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Little Boy

Lawrence Ferlinghetti's Wit Is Afire In 'Little Boy'

March 23, 2019 • As he approaches his 100th birthday, the legendary Beat poet and publisher has a new book. Billed as his "literary last will and testament," Little Boy is part memoir, part rambling free-association.

The Chief

Author Interviews

In 'The Chief,' An Enigmatic, Conservative John Roberts Walks A Political Tightrope

March 22, 2019 • Reporter Joan Biskupic portrays the chief justice as a dedicated conservative who now "has the court he's always wanted" — and she says the law "will likely be what he says it is."

The True Queen

'The True Queen' Casts A Pleasant Spell

March 21, 2019 • Zen Cho's followup to her Regency fantasy of manners Sorceror to the Crown builds solidly on the world she's invented, mixing historical froth with real substance.

Small Town Hearts

A Summer Of Second Chances In 'Small Town Hearts'

March 21, 2019 • Lillie Vale's new young adult novel follows Babe Vogel, who's perfectly happy in her small town life, even though her friends have mostly moved on — until a "summer boy" arrives to complicate things.

The Lost Gutenberg

'The Lost Gutenberg' Traces One Bible's 500-Year Journey

March 20, 2019 • The depth of Margaret Leslie Davis' research on the tome's history cannot be understated — her writing is straightforward and, at times, heartbreaking, but outstanding reporting lies at the core.

Horizon

In 'Horizon,' Considering All That Is Connected

March 20, 2019 • Barry Lopez's new book is a biography and a portrait of some of the world's most delicate places, but at heart it's a contemplation of the belief that the way forward is compassionately, and together.

Zora and Langston

Road Trip With 'Zora And Langston' In This Real-Life Literary Adventure

Fresh Air

March 19, 2019 • Squeeze into the rumble seat — Yuval Taylor brings readers along on a 1927 summer road trip taken by Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes. Their friendship turned out to be a very bumpy ride.

Road Trip With 'Zora And Langston' In This Real-Life Literary Adventure

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Kiss and Cry, by Mina Esguerra

Bright Girl Books

For March, 3 Romances That Fight For Love

March 19, 2019 • True love finds a way amid food trucks, ice skates and ... knife throwing? In other words, March is just another month in Romancelandia, and we've got three stories of people fighting hard for love.

Kushner, Inc.

'Kushner, Inc.' Adds Little To The Canon On Jared And Ivanka

March 19, 2019 • Other journalists have previously reported many of the serious claims presented in Vicky Ward's book; her own yields generally feel meager, wrapping even the smallest scoops in a fog of insinuation.

Lot

'Lot' Paints An Unforgettable Portrait Of Houston And Its People

March 19, 2019 • Bryan Washington's debut story collection brings the Texas city to life in all its struggle and imperfect glory.

The Bird King

Building A Home Of Stories In 'The Bird King'

March 17, 2019 • G. Willow Wilson's luminous new novel is set during the last days of Muslim Granada, and follows a royal concubine and her mapmaker friend as they flee the Inquisition for a place that may not exist.

The Night Witches

'Night Witches' Sheds Some Light On Daring Female Flyers

March 16, 2019 • Garth Ennis' new graphic novel creates a fictional character to flesh out the stories of the real Night Witches, Soviet female pilots who dropped bombs on the Nazis from rickety old biplanes.

From Triumph To Tragedy, 'First' Tells Story Of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

Evan Thomas breaks new ground with extraordinary access to Sandra Day O'Connor, her papers, journals — and even 20 years of her husband's diary. Mike Moore/WireImage/Getty Images hide caption

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Mike Moore/WireImage/Getty Images

Author Interviews

From Triumph To Tragedy, 'First' Tells Story Of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

March 15, 2019 • First is unlike any other book written about the justice. Evan Thomas breaks new ground with extraordinary access to O'Connor, her papers, journals — and even 20 years of her husband's diary.

From Triumph To Tragedy, 'First' Tells Story Of Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

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The Trial of Lizzie Borden

'The Trial Of Lizzie Borden' Adds Fodder To The Murder Case's Mystery

March 14, 2019 • Who killed the Bordens more than 100 years ago remains unsolved. Like a lawyer, author Cara Robertson lays the facts and evidence before us, occasionally pointing towards the biases of the day.

Squad

What Happens When You Get Kicked Off The 'Squad?'

March 14, 2019 • In Mariah MacCarthy's new young adult novel, cheerleader Jenna's world gets turned upside down when her former best friend suddenly goes full Mean Girl, and she has to learn to define herself anew.

Meet The Lagoon's Forgotten Lady And See 'The Strangest Movie Never Made'

Penguin Random House

Meet The Lagoon's Forgotten Lady And See 'The Strangest Movie Never Made'

Fresh Air

March 13, 2019 • The Lady from the Black Lagoon tells the story of Milicent Patrick, who designed the Creature's monster suit. Giraffes on Horseback Salad was a Marx Brothers script scenario written by Salvador Dalí.

Meet The Lagoon's Forgotten Lady And See 'The Strangest Movie Never Made'

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Sea People

'Sea People' Examines The Origins And History Of Polynesia

March 13, 2019 • Christina Thompson deftly weaves her fascinating narrative of European travels and attempts to understand the Polynesian puzzle in her new book, though European colonization is not fully addressed.

Pocahontas and the English Boys

'Pocahontas And The English Boys' Bridged 2 Wildly Different Cultures

March 12, 2019 • Historian Karen Ordahl Kupperman shines a new light on Pocahontas, showing how she made her way as a go-between for her two cultures, and introducing us to her long-forgotten English counterparts.

The Club

Entertained But Underwhelmed By This European Bestseller? Join 'The Club'

March 12, 2019 • German author Takis Würger's debut novel, a thriller about a secret society at Cambridge University, also tackles hot-button issues of privilege and toxic masculinity. It's now out in English.

The Volunteer

'The Volunteer' Is A War Story Unlike Any Other

March 11, 2019 • Salvatore Scibona's new novel is a generational saga, an epic of Vietnam and other places rendered in language that makes even simple things sound mythic. But first, a boy is abandoned at an airport.

The Altruists

'The Altruists' Asks: How Do You Live A Good Life?

March 10, 2019 • Andrew Ridker's sharp, compassionate first novel follows a family of flawed but sympathetic bumblers whose efforts to do good more often end up causing harm — to themselves and others.

Gingerbread

'Gingerbread' Is A Delightfully Spicy Family Fable

March 9, 2019 • Helen Oyeyemi played with fairy tale ideas in the past; her new novel takes off from "Hansel and Gretel" for the story of a mother, a daughter and a mysteriously powerful family gingerbread recipe.

An American Summer

'An American Summer' Presents The Human Side Of Gun Violence In Chicago

March 8, 2019 • Alex Kotlowitz's new book amplifies the words of those who have witnessed tragedy and makes their experiences available to readers — a chronicle that is painful but also necessary.

Spies of No Country

'Spies Of No Country' Offers Nuanced Understanding Of Israel's Complexity

March 7, 2019 • For half a decade, Matti Friedman has been working hard, and publicly, to dispel easy narratives about Israel. In his book about four spies, he aims to show that Israel is "more than one thing."

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