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'Friendship': A Startlingly Nice Novel By A Tough-Girl Blogger

2:49pm July 02, 2014

by Maureen Corrigan

Emily Gould's first novel stars 30-something single women in New York City who are figuring out what's important in life. It's worth picking up for its sharp social observations and inspired wordplay.

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Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party delegates and supporters stage a demonstration on the boardwalk in front of the Atlantic City Convention Center in 1964.

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'Freedom Summer' And 'The Watsons': Powerful TV About A Civil Rights Journey

4:15pm June 30, 2014

by Eric Deggans

This story in the "Book Your Trip" series features NPR TV critic Eric Deggans on two books turned TV shows about civil rights: PBS's Freedom Summer and Hallmark Channel's The Watsons Go to Birmingham.

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Colombia Advances In World Cup, Two Decades After Infamous Murder

6:27pm June 29, 2014

In 1994, star player Andres Escobar was killed just weeks after he scored an own goal in the Cup. NPR's Arun Rath speaks with Colombian-American journalist and novelist John Rojas about the crime.

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Everything I Never Told You is Celeste Ng's debut novel about a Chinese-American family living in 1970s Ohio. She is currently working on a second novel and a collection of short stories.

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'Everything I Never Told You' Exposed In Biracial Family's Loss

6:22pm June 28, 2014

by NPR Staff

In times of tragedy, our deepest insecurities can take over. In Celeste Ng's new novel, set in the Midwest in the late 1970s, the fear that bubbles up is related to race and identity.

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After The Rapture, Who Are 'The Leftovers'?

1:25pm June 27, 2014

Tom Perrotta's 2011 novel examined the aftermath of an unexplained rapturelike event. A new HBO series inspired by The Leftovers begins Sunday. Originally broadcast Aug. 25, 2011.

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'Most Dangerous Book': A Rich Treasury Charting James Joyce's 'Ulysses'

2:09pm June 26, 2014

by Maureen Corrigan

There are many heroes in Kevin Birmingham's new book about the novel that sparked a revolution, but James Joyce isn't one of them. The strength of The Most Dangerous Book lies in its subtle details.

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Strange And Beautiful Love Stories Light Up 'Paper Lantern'

8:07pm June 23, 2014

by Meg Wolitzer

The stories in Stuart Dybek's latest collection concern themselves with strong feelings, and sometimes with crazed longings. Reviewer Meg Wolitzer finds them "a little alarming, a little wonderful."

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A Reclusive Novelist Reckons With His Legacy '& Sons'

3:00pm June 20, 2014

David Gilbert tells the story of a famous, aging writer whose children do not feel as warmly toward him as his readers do. Originally broadcast July 23, 2013.

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'Lawrence' Of Arabia: From Archaeologist To War Hero

11:34am June 18, 2014

Scott Anderson's book explains how British officer T.E. Lawrence used his knowledge of Arab culture and medieval history to advance British causes. Originally broadcast Aug. 19, 2013.

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Joshua Ferris has written two other novels — The Unnamed and Then We Came to the End.

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Joshua Ferris Takes On Atheism In 'To Rise Again'

4:11pm June 17, 2014

In Joshua Ferris' third novel, To Rise Again at a Decent Hour, the protagonist is a dentist wrestling with his atheism. Ferris says his character, like all dentists, is "chronically misunderstood."

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