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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.
'Fifty Shades' Is The One That Got Away. At Least From Me
Vintage Books

Review

Books

'Fifty Shades' Is The One That Got Away. At Least From Me

Sometimes "the one that got away" is a book that actually was easy to overlook. And sometimes it's something you ignore until you just can't anymore. NPR's Lynn Neary finally comes to terms with the publishing sensation that is Fifty Shades of Grey.

'Fifty Shades' Is The One That Got Away. At Least From Me

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Courage And Curiosity: The Best Heroines Of 2012
/Nishant Choksi

Review

Best Books Of 2012

Courage And Curiosity: The Best Heroines Of 2012

This year's literary heroines aren't defined by their desire to love or be loved — or even to be especially lovable. Writer and critic Parul Sehgal celebrates five sublimely stubborn women, frequently at odds with themselves and always at odds with their times.

Courage And Curiosity: The Best Heroines Of 2012

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'Law & Order' Meets Tom Clancy In Dick Wolf's First Novel

Dick Wolf is an Emmy Award-winning writer, producer and creator of the TV series Law & Order. MMXII James Chen Photographer, Santa Barbara/William Morrow hide caption

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MMXII James Chen Photographer, Santa Barbara/William Morrow

Author Interviews

'Law & Order' Meets Tom Clancy In Dick Wolf's First Novel

The Law & Order creator's detective fiction debut is set in New York after the killing of Osama bin Laden. Although The Intercept borrows stylistically from Wolf's television background, he says novel writing allows him "to tell bigger stories on a bigger canvas."

'Law & Order' Meets Tom Clancy In Dick Wolf's First Novel

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Recipe Rebellion: A Year Of Contrarian Cookbooks
Nishant Choksi

Review

Best Books Of 2012

Recipe Rebellion: A Year Of Contrarian Cookbooks

The rebels, rule breakers and renegades who rule this year's Top 10 list aren't looking for a Ph.D. in Traditional Cooking. They're pleasure seekers whose books are filled with quirky facts, gorgeous pictures and ingredients deployed in unexpected places.

Recipe Rebellion: A Year Of Contrarian Cookbooks

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5 Young Adult Novels That You'll Never Outgrow
Nishant Choksi

Review

Best Books Of 2012

5 Young Adult Novels That You'll Never Outgrow

It was a strange and wonderful year for young adult fiction, says critic Maggie Stiefvater. This list rounds up five magical books for young adults and grown-ups alike.

5 Young Adult Novels That You'll Never Outgrow

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War Writ Small: Of Pushcarts And Peashooters

Review

You Must Read This

War Writ Small: Of Pushcarts And Peashooters

Jean Merrill's classic children's book The Pushcart War explores war, peace and pushcarts on the streets of New York. Author Adam Mansbach writes that the story still resonates. Do you have a favorite children's book that deals with heavy themes? Tell us in the comments.

War Writ Small: Of Pushcarts And Peashooters

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Self-Publishing: No Longer Just A Vanity Project
iStockphoto.com

Book News & Features

Self-Publishing: No Longer Just A Vanity Project

It used to be called the "vanity press," a name that carried a sniff of derision. But Lynn Neary reports that self-publishing has become a booming business, spawning best-sellers, and attracting the interest of Amazon and the major publishing houses.

Self-Publishing: No Longer Just A Vanity Project

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Romantic Reads From Shakespeare To Steampunk (Heavy On The Steam)
Nishant Choksi

Review

Best Books Of 2012

Romantic Reads From Shakespeare To Steampunk (Heavy On The Steam)

Writer Eloisa James gathers the best of 2012's romance subgenres. Expect lots of heat, in the most unexpected places and with some unlikely people: From the military to the paranormal, and from Shakespeare to steampunk, James' picks for the year skip across oceans and genres.

Romantic Reads From Shakespeare To Steampunk (Heavy On The Steam)

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Great Reads In Store: Indie Booksellers Pick 2012's Best
Nishant Choksi

Review

Best Books Of 2012

Great Reads In Store: Indie Booksellers Pick 2012's Best

Susan Stamberg presents the year's best books, picked by independent booksellers around the country. Selections range from gritty, free-verse fairy tales to ballerina photographs and a grim Southern story about a small town that would rather its ghosts remain at rest.

Great Reads In Store: Indie Booksellers Pick 2012's Best

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