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The Week's Best Stories From NPR Books This week: Meg Wolitzer's latest, Charles Frazier returns to the Civil War, the pressures of being the only black person in the room, a new Macbeth, and marriage-saving tips from a divorce lawyer.
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The Week's Best Stories From NPR Books

This week: Meg Wolitzer, Charles Frazier, Jo Nesbo, Nafissa Thompson-Spires and James Sexton.
Remembering Sam Greenlee Through His Most Famous Book

Sam Greenlee during Los Angeles Film Festival - Blaxploitation Misnomer and Misunderstood at Director's Guild of America Atrium in Los Angeles in 2004. John Heller/WireImage/Getty Images hide caption

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John Heller/WireImage/Getty Images

Code Switch

Remembering Sam Greenlee Through His Most Famous Book

The author died on Monday. As he pointed out 45 years ago in his cult favorite The Spook Who Sat By the Door, the most fervent revolutionaries have often been the people you'd least suspect.

If You Want To Teach Kids History, Try Grossing Them Out First

In her new book Bugged, Sarah Albee explores history through the lens of insects — including how they spread disease, how they influence conflicts, and how they can be a tasty snack. iStockphoto hide caption

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Author Interviews

If You Want To Teach Kids History, Try Grossing Them Out First

Grown-ups might not "get it," but subjects like bugs and poop can make history lessons a little more palatable for middle schoolers. Author Sarah Albee says she writes books for her inner 12-year-old.

If You Want To Teach Kids History, Try Grossing Them Out First

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No One Wants To Be With The Marlboro Man: Terry Crews On 'Manhood'

Terry Crews is a former NFL linebacker and now an actor. Manhood: How to Be a Better Man — or Just Live with One is his first book. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images hide caption

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Author Interviews

No One Wants To Be With The Marlboro Man: Terry Crews On 'Manhood'

Actor Terry Crews has an NFL physique that's perfect for action films, but it's his sense of humor that has won over fans. Crews' revealing new memoir is called Manhood.

No One Wants To Be With The Marlboro Man: Terry Crews On 'Manhood'

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A 'New York Times' Shake-Up, But Not The One You're Thinking Of

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This Week's Must Read

A 'New York Times' Shake-Up, But Not The One You're Thinking Of

The New York Times made news this week when it announced Jill Abramson's departure. For a deeper understanding of the paper's history, author Kevin Roose recommends Hard News by Seth Mnookin.

A 'New York Times' Shake-Up, But Not The One You're Thinking Of

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Greenwald On NSA Leaks: 'We've Erred On The Side Of Excess Caution'

Reporter Glenn Greenwald speaks to reporters in Hong Kong on June 10, 2013, just days after publishing a series of reports about the NSA's mass surveillance programs. Vincent Yu/AP hide caption

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Vincent Yu/AP

National Security

Greenwald On NSA Leaks: 'We've Erred On The Side Of Excess Caution'

Fresh Air

Journalist Glenn Greenwald says he and his team weighed the public's interest against the potential harm to innocent people when deciding how many of Edward Snowden's leaked documents to make public.

Greenwald On NSA Leaks: 'We've Erred On The Side Of Excess Caution'

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For Geithner, Financial Crisis Was Like Landing A Burning Plane

Then-Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner testifies before the House Financial Services Committee in 2012. He says he struggled with communicating why he had to help the banks during the financial crisis. Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption

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Economy

For Geithner, Financial Crisis Was Like Landing A Burning Plane

Former Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner received mixed reviews of his performance during the financial crisis. In his new book, he says he did what was required to "keep the lights on."

For Geithner, Financial Crisis Was Like Landing A Burning Plane

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Why Aren't Teens Reading Like They Used To?
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Education

Why Aren't Teens Reading Like They Used To?

A survey of data shows a marked drop in teenagers reading for pleasure. Researchers are trying to figure out whether the explosion of e-reading and digital diversions is behind the decline.

Why Aren't Teens Reading Like They Used To?

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For Artistic Criminal, Breaking Rules Is Key To 'Creativity'

Philippe Petit, a French high-wire artist, walks across a tightrope suspended between the World Trade Center towers in New York on Aug. 7, 1974. Alan Welner/AP hide caption

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Author Interviews

For Artistic Criminal, Breaking Rules Is Key To 'Creativity'

Performer Philippe Petit, who walked between the World Trade Center towers in 1974, says the difference between the average criminal and an artistic one is that the former takes and the latter gives.

For Artistic Criminal, Breaking Rules Is Key To 'Creativity'

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'Insatiable': One Woman's Love Affair With The Porn Industry

Author Interviews

'Insatiable': One Woman's Love Affair With The Porn Industry

Asa Akira had a normal, upper middle-class upbringing, so why did she become a porn star? It was the ultimate fantasy, she says. What others have called exploitative, Akira sees as empowering.

'Insatiable': One Woman's Love Affair With The Porn Industry

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Larry McMurtry Loves The West, But Knocks The Cowboy Off His High Horse

Author Interviews

Larry McMurtry Loves The West, But Knocks The Cowboy Off His High Horse

The Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist says the myth of the cowboy feels "hollow." The Last Kind Words Saloon is a spare and unsentimental story about two Western icons, Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday.

Larry McMurtry Loves The West, But Knocks The Cowboy Off His High Horse

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Why Bring Up Death When We Could Talk About 'Something More Pleasant'?

Author Interviews

Why Bring Up Death When We Could Talk About 'Something More Pleasant'?

In her illustrated memoir Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?, longtime New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast describes being an only child and conflicted caretaker to her aging parents.

Why Bring Up Death When We Could Talk About 'Something More Pleasant'?

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A Film And Fashion Icon On Aging, And The Power Of Turtlenecks

Diane Keaton lives with her daughter and son in Los Angeles. Ruven Afanador/Courtesy of Random House hide caption

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Ruven Afanador/Courtesy of Random House

Book News & Features

A Film And Fashion Icon On Aging, And The Power Of Turtlenecks

Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton's new memoir, Let's Just Say It Wasn't Pretty, tackles classic menswear, her insecurities about aging, and the new places she's learned to look for beauty.

A Film And Fashion Icon On Aging, And The Power Of Turtlenecks

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The 'Marvelous Living' Of Soprano Jessye Norman

Jessye Norman performs late on June 6, 2008 during the 14th Sacred World Music Festival. Abdelhak Senna/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Author Interviews

The 'Marvelous Living' Of Soprano Jessye Norman

One of the most celebrated voices of her generation talks about her new autobiography, Stand Up Straight and Sing! The opera star journeyed from the segregated South to a divided Berlin and beyond.

The 'Marvelous Living' Of Soprano Jessye Norman

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