Books

'Pope And Mussolini' Tells The 'Secret History' Of Fascism And The Church

1:45pm January 27, 2014

It's commonly thought that the Catholic Church fought heroically against the fascists in Italy. But in The Pope and Mussolini, historian David Kertzer says the church actually lent organizational strength and moral legitimacy to Mussolini's regime.

Queue Listen Now

Congress Gets A Beating In Gates Memoir, Too

12:50pm January 27, 2014

Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has a new memoir out that serves up some tough criticism of President Obama and Congress. NPR's Arun Rath talks to correspondent Liz Halloran about the punches being thrown.

Queue Listen Now

Published in 1943, The Little Prince is one of the world's most beloved books. AuthorAntoine Saint-Exupery wrote and illustrated the book in New York, between Long Island and Manhattan.

Books
Arts

Before He Fell To Earth, 'The Little Prince' Was Born In N.Y.

1:31pm January 25, 2014

by Margot Adler

Author Antoine Saint-Exupery was French, but his beloved book, The Little Prince, wasn't written in Paris. Saint-Exupery wrote it in New York, and even included references to the island in his original manuscript.

Queue Listen Now

Books

An Admitted 'Ham' Shares Slices Of Show-Biz Life

12:14pm January 25, 2014

Sixteen short stories of a triumphant, tragic, and most of all, hilarious life in show business make up Sam Harris' new memoir, Ham: Slices of a Life. NPR's Jacki Lyden speaks to Harris about his rise to fame after winning the first season of the 1980's hit TV show Star Search.

Queue Listen Now

Ann Patchett is an award-winning novelist and memoirist. Her other books include Truth & Beauty, The Magician's Assistant and Run.

Books
Arts

Patchett: In Bad Relationships, 'There Comes A Day When You Gotta Go'

4:58pm January 23, 2014

Ann Patchett got married and divorced young. When she met the man who would eventually become her second husband she said: "I'll be true, I'll be faithful, I'll see you every day ... but I don't want to get married and I don't want to live together." Her new book is This Is The Story of a Happy Marriage.

Queue Listen Now

Books
Arts

Skeptic Takes A Tour Of Self-Help's 'Promise Land'

3:29pm January 22, 2014

Despite being the daughter of a child psychologist and self-help author, Jessica Lamb-Shapiro has spent most of her life recoiling from the self-help industry. But eventually, her curiosity got the best of her. She tells Fresh Air about self-help's high- and low-brow iterations and the ways the industry helped her address her fears.

Queue Listen Now

For World Superpowers, The Negotiating Table Often Had A Net

7:44pm January 20, 2014

Melissa Block talks with Nicholas Griffin about his book, Ping-Pong Diplomacy, which explores the importance of the tabletop game in Chinese political history and foreign policy.

Queue Listen Now

Demonstrators march down Constitution Avenue during the March on Washington on Aug. 28, 1963.

Books
Arts

The Politics Of Passing 1964's Civil Rights Act

6:35pm January 20, 2014

The act, among other things, ended the era of legal segregation in public accommodations, like restaurants and hotels. This year marks the 50th anniversary of its passage. Author Todd Purdum joins Fresh Air to talk about the legislative and political battles that surrounded it.

Queue Listen Now

detail from cover of Forgiving the Angel

Books
Arts

Living, And 'Forgiving,' In A Brilliant Writer's Orbit

11:35am January 18, 2014

by NPR Staff

Jay Cantor is a hard author to nail down. He's written about topics as wide-ranging as Che Guevara and Krazy Kat. His latest work expands his range even more, fictionalizing the lives of four of Franz Kafka's friends and lovers. It's called Forgiving the Angel, and Cantor tells NPR's Lynn Neary it's a book born out of gratitude.

Queue Listen Now

A Strange Composition: Classical Music Meets Bioterror In 'Orfeo'

8:33pm January 17, 2014

by NPR Staff

Richard Powers' new novel tells the story of an avant-garde classical composer who finds himself dabbling in DNA. He "gets obsessed with finding music inside of living things," Powers explains, and, as a fugitive, ends up leading officials on a low-speed chase.

Queue Listen Now