Books

Books
Arts

'Golden Son' Is Space Opera That Doesn't Forget The Opera

4:23pm January 23, 2015

by Jason Sheehan

Pierce Brown's followup to last year's Romans-in-space epic Red Rising is bigger, louder, and bloodier than its predecessor. Reviewer Jason Sheehan says it isn't perfect — but it is hard to put down.

Books

NPR Bestsellers: Hardcover Fiction, Week Of January 22, 2015

4:03pm January 23, 2015

After obsessively observing a "perfect couple" every day on her commute, Rachel Watson sees something dark that forces her to get involved. Paula Hawkin's The Girl on the Train debuts at No. 2.

Books

In The World's 'Sixth Extinction,' Are Humans The Asteroid?

1:25pm January 23, 2015

Scientists think an asteroid killed the dinosaurs. In today's extinction, humans are the culprit. Originally broadcast Feb. 12, 2014.

Queue Listen Now

Franklin Foer recently wrote a cover story for The New Republic titled, "Amazon Must Be Stopped." He argued against Amazon at the latest Intelligence Squared U.S. debate — and won.

Books

Debate: Is Amazon The Reader's Friend?

4:01pm January 22, 2015

by NPR Staff

Two teams of editors and writers, including best-selling author Scott Turow, face off over Amazon's influence over the publishing industry, in the latest debate from Intelligence Squared U.S.

Queue Listen Now

Books
Arts

Delicious Short Stories, Ripe On The Vine In 'Honeydew'

2:06pm January 22, 2015

by Alan Cheuse

Reviewer Alan Cheuse has rapturous praise for Edith Pearlman's new story collection: "The first thing I wanted to do after finishing was, well, I wanted to go right back and start from the beginning."

Author Scott Blackwood based See How Small on a real incident, a multiple murder at an Austin, Texas, frozen yogurt shop in 1991.

Books
Arts

The Vastness Of Violent Loss In 'See How Small'

1:57pm January 22, 2015

by Michael Schaub

Scott Blackwood's new novel, based on a real murder case, follows a community rocked by the slaying of three teenage girls. Reviewer Michael Schaub calls it "brutal, necessary and near perfect."

Books

Book Review: 'The Convert's Song' By Sebastian Rotella

10:39am January 22, 2015

by Alan Cheuse

Alan Cheuse reviews "The Convert's Song" by Sebastian Rotella.

Queue Listen Now

The Ethics Of Torture, Explored In A Painful Fable

10:39am January 22, 2015

by Laila Lalami

This week, the Senate released a report that details the interrogation techniques used by the CIA after Sept. 11. Author Laila Lalami grapples with the questions it raises by turning to literature.

Queue Listen Now

Books
Arts

In 'The Evil Hours,' A Journalist Shares His Struggle With PTSD

5:35pm January 21, 2015

While embedded with troops in Iraq, David Morris almost died when a Humvee he was riding in ran over a roadside bomb. His book explores the history and science of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Queue Listen Now

Books
Arts

'The B-Side' Sings A Sad, Sad Song

3:03pm January 21, 2015

by Tomas Hachard

Ben Yagoda uses the battle between music licensing organizations ASCAP and BMI to sketch out a broader lament about the long fade-out of the American Songbook and the segue to modern pop music.