Author Teacher Has Varied Reading Tastes August 26, 2007 Summer reader Laila Lalami is an observer of Islamic issues and current events on her blog, 'Moorishgirl-dot-com." She talks to Liane Hansen about her summer reading list.
Blogger Picks Classic Novels, Modern Short Stories August 19, 2007 Max Magee, creator of the literary blog The Millions, talks about his summer reading picks. They include Ragtime by E.L. Doctorow and Pastoralia by George Saunders.
Education Secretary Prefers Summer Escapist Fare August 5, 2007 When U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings gets time to read, she likes to escape reality. This summer, the former Texas education lobbyist is reading books that take her from the wilds of North Dakota to ashrams in India and islands in Indonesia.
A Promising Playwright's Summer Authors July 15, 2007 At just 33, playwright Sarah Ruhl has already had her plays produced on the country's most important stages. But she still finds time to read Goodnight Moon. She shares what's on her reading list this summer.
A Busy Brewmaster's Summer Book Stack June 23, 2007 Carol Stoudt, the first female brewmaster in the U.S., oversees Stoudt's Brewing Company in Adamstown, Pa. Frequent travel for work — and inspiration from her family — keeps her reading despite a busy schedule running a microbrewery.
Summer Books from Utah's Remote Librarian May 27, 2007 Eve Tallman, director of the prize-winning Grand County Public Library in Moab, Utah, kicks off our annual summer reading series with a handful of books she's set aside for the season.
Charles Johnson, Combing the Historical Record August 27, 2006 Charles Johnson is a renowned novelist, essayist and writer of short stories. His novel Middle Passage won the 1990 National Book Award. Lately, his own reading has been directed at an upcoming historical work.
Amanda Vincent, Diving into the World of Words August 20, 2006 Dr. Amanda Vincent directs Project Seahorse at the University of British Columbia, conducting research on sustainable use of the world's coastal marine ecosystems. She's this week's summer reader.
Philip Connors, Fired Up About Books August 13, 2006 Feelance writer Philip Connors doubles as a fire lookout in the Gila National Forest in New Mexico. The job lasts six months a year, and gives him a chance to peruse a fair amount of literature. He offers a few recommendations, including the novel Homeland, a series of updates provided to a high school alum newsletter and one of "the funniest things" he's ever read.
Chef Sang Yoon, Cookin' and Bookin' August 6, 2006 Before he opened his own place (a bar and restaurant in Santa Monica, Calif., called Father's Office) Sang Yoon served up gourmet cuisine at Michael's. As our series of summer reading chats continues, he reveals a taste for books about eats.
Carolyn Hax's Advice On What To Read July 30, 2006 This week's Summer Reader segment calls on Carolyn Hax for her advice on what to read this summer. Hax makes a living off her advice, writing The Washington Post's nationally syndicated column "Tell Me About It."
John Davis: 'Bully' for Him, Books for You July 16, 2006 Animated film director John Davis is back in theaters this month with The Ant Bully. His cartoon hero, one Lucas Nickle, is a boy cut down to size by a colony of creepy-crawlies. But before Davis made movies he read books. A short list for the younger set.
Books to Make the Most of Her Personal Space July 9, 2006 Gabrielle Giffords is having a busy summer. Here on Earth — specifically, in the state of Arizona — the former state senator is a Democrat in a wild six-way congressional primary campaign. Meanwhile, in space, her boyfriend Mark Kelly is piloting the shuttle Discovery.
A Collection of Books for After the Boom July 2, 2006 July 4 fireworks and summer books might not seem to have much in common. But Donna Grucci-Butler, president of Fireworks by Grucci, tells what sort of reading she'll be doing when things quiet down a bit.
A Standup Guy Who Is Serious About Books June 25, 2006 Leo Allen, a New York comic, challenged himself to read 100 books in a year's time. He's polished off 51 so far, and he seems to be gaining momentum. From science fiction to self-help, Allen offers a summer reading list that spans nearly a century of literature.
Poetry Books That Are Just What the Doctor Ordered June 18, 2006 As summer officially arrives this week, it's time to think about books to buy, borrow or check out of the library. Dr. Abraham Verghese, director of the Center for Medical Humanities and Ethics at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio, offers a brief reading list.
Books for the Young... and the Young at Heart June 11, 2006 It's a summer tradition at Weekend Edition Sunday: each week, we learn what notable readers are pulling off the shelves. Elizabeth Bird, senior librarian at The New York Public Library's Donnell Library Center, focuses on books for young people.
2005 Summer Reading: The Listeners Choose September 11, 2005 After a summer of weekly book picks from a variety of notable readers, Weekend Edition Sunday asked for input from the listeners.
Jacob McMurray, a SciFi Kind of Guy August 28, 2005 Jacob McMurray is senior curator at the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in Seattle... and at the Experience Music Project, a music museum. His reading list is heavy on sci-fi, with a bit of rock history, too.
Joey Carson, Really, Really Reading a Lot August 21, 2005 Joey Carson is the CEO of Bunim/Murray Productions. The company makes TV shows such as The Scholar, which focuses on high school students competing for scholarship money. He says his reading list includes a mix of biography, science fiction and real science.
Tom Marzolf, Reading More Than Greens August 14, 2005 Tom Marzolf, president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects, keeps two books within easy reach. The Bible is one. Golf Architecture, by course design pioneer Alistair MacKenzie, is another. Marzolf tells Liane Hansen what else he enjoys reading.
Akbar Ahmed: Books with an International Flavor August 7, 2005 Akbar Ahmed is a professor of international studies at American University in Washington, D.C. He's also an anthropologist, writer and filmmaker... and a former diplomat, as well. His reading list focuses on the Middle East.