The Week's Best Stories From NPR Books : NPR

November 30, 2011 • Ten were promised and 10 were found, but it's still an unsolved mystery: who's been leaving intricate paper sculptures across Edinburgh?

Kids' Book Club Takes 'Tollbooth' To Lands Beyond

November 29, 2011 • The pun-filled Phantom Tollbooth turns 50 this year. Author Norton Juster takes questions from young readers about the story of Milo, a bored little boy who finds adventure in a very strange land full of riddles and wordplay.

Kids' Book Club Takes 'Tollbooth' To Lands Beyond

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'Physics Of The Future': How We'll Live In 2100?

Fresh Air

November 29, 2011 • Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku describes some of the inventions he thinks will appear in the coming century — including Internet-ready contact lenses, space elevators and driverless cars — in his book Physics of the Future.

'Physics Of The Future': How We'll Live In 2100?

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Plot Driven: Alan Cheuse's Top 5 Fiction Picks

Priscilla Nielsen for NPR

Review

Plot Driven: Alan Cheuse's Top 5 Fiction Picks

November 29, 2011 • Critic Alan Cheuse likes his books thoughtfully plotted — and 2011 has made him a happy reader. A tiger haunts, a teen flees, ballplayers dream and vampires reign in beautifully conceived stories from new and distinguished authors.

Sigrid Estrada/

Judy Blume: Often Banned, But Widely Beloved

November 28, 2011 • The author has been channeling the anxieties, dreams and secret thoughts of young readers for more than four decades. With her candid treatment of topics like bullying and puberty, she has won legions of fans around the world — but she's also drawn the ire of critics who want her frank books banned.

Judy Blume: Often Banned, But Widely Beloved

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Sherlockian Mysteries That Will Keep You Tied Up

Priscilla Nielsen for NPR

Review

Sherlockian Mysteries That Will Keep You Tied Up

November 28, 2011 • Critic Maureen Corrigan selects two of the best new works of fiction and criticism about The Great Detective, and offers recommendations for terrific novels featuring contemporary investigators who carry forward Holmes' trademark method of detection: "an observance of trifles."

Dusting Off A Gritty, Glamorous California Classic

Other

Review

Dusting Off A Gritty, Glamorous California Classic

November 28, 2011 • As it turns out, Raymond Chandler isn't the only writer who can channel the dark charisma of deceptively sunny California. Author Hector Tobar recommends John Fante's Ask the Dust, a novel that captures the grit and glamor of Los Angeles' past.

Dusting Off A Gritty, Glamorous California Classic

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Still More Tryptophan-tastic Tomes To See You Through Your Turkey Coma

November 23, 2011 • For the 4th year in a row, our comics blogger suggests thick, satisfying reads perfect for long gray Friday afternoons on the couch.

Game And Fame: The Lives Of Mickey Mantle, Roy Williams And Kay Thompson

November 23, 2011 • Biographer Jane Leavy strips baseball hero Mickey Mantle of his glamour, while basketball coach Roy Williams looks back on his career, and filmmaker Sam Irvin celebrates the resilient gleam of performer and writer Kay Thompson. Also, C.J. Chivers explores the AK-47 and its impact on warfare.

Small Book, Big Story: Bronte Manuscript Discovered

Charlotte Bronte's recently discovered manuscript contains more than 4,000 words painstakingly crammed onto 19 pages, each measuring approximately 35-by-61 millimeters. Courtesy of Sotheby's hide caption

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Courtesy of Sotheby's

Small Book, Big Story: Bronte Manuscript Discovered

November 23, 2011 • The Bronte siblings created elaborate fantasy worlds. A recently discovered childhood manuscript by Charlotte Bronte reveals how vividly the worlds were imagined — and may provide clues to the later work.

Small Book, Big Story: Bronte Manuscript Discovered

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Parenting Advice For The 20-Something Years

Brian Griffith (left), shown here in 2009 at age 26, moved home with his parents, Jay and Jennifer Griffith, after losing his job. The tight job market, especially for college grads, has prompted many young adults to move back in with their parents. Robert Lahser/MCT /Landov hide caption

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Robert Lahser/MCT /Landov

Parenting Advice For The 20-Something Years

November 22, 2011 • Parenting used to end when the kids left home at 18. Now, more college grads are moving back home. To the rescue: new parenting books on the trials and tribulations of raising your adult child. The hottest topics? Money. And kids moving back home.

Parenting Advice For The 20-Something Years

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'Most Beautiful Woman' By Day, Inventor By Night

Cover art for Richard Rhodes' book Hedy's Folly. Random House hide caption

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Random House

Opinion

'Most Beautiful Woman' By Day, Inventor By Night

November 22, 2011 • One of the biggest actresses of MGM's Golden Age, also lived a quiet life as an inventor. During World War II, Hedy Lamarr invented a form of wireless communication that led to Bluetooth, GPS and more.

'Most Beautiful Woman' By Day, Inventor By Night

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The Real Mr. Incredible: Self-Styled 'Superheroes'

November 22, 2011 • In The Amazing Adventures of Phoenix Jones, Jon Ronson explores the subculture of ordinary individuals who adopt superhero identities (and costumes) to patrol the streets.

The Real Mr. Incredible: Self-Styled 'Superheroes'

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2011's Best Cookbooks: Revenge Of The Kitchen Nerds

Priscilla Nielsen for NPR

November 22, 2011 • Culinary scholars and serious home cooks share their hard-won wisdom in 11 new cookbooks. They've spent years toiling in the kitchen, and now these experts are here to help you perfect your roast, indulge your sweet tooth or feed your 12-year-old.

Hear T. Susan Chang Talk About Her Picks With NPR's Audie Cornish

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The Wrong Crowd: A Tale Of Teens Behaving Badly

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Review

My Guilty Pleasure

The Wrong Crowd: A Tale Of Teens Behaving Badly

November 21, 2011 • Long after the final bell has rung, the echoes of high school hold a fascination for us, even into adulthood. Author Meg Wolitzer recommends a guilty pleasure read that reminds her of the pain of being a teenager. Do you have a favorite book you read as a teen? Let us know in the comments.

The Wrong Crowd: A Tale Of Teens Behaving Badly

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