Books

Books
Arts

These Cli-Fi Classics Are Cautionary Tales For Today

10:00am July 26, 2019

by Jason Heller

As heat waves roll across Europe and storms pummel the American South, literature is responding. But climate fiction — or cli-fi — is nothing new, and we've got a roundup of some classics.

Books

Life Of Black Cyclist Major Taylor Chronicled In New Book 'The World's Fastest Man'

5:34am July 26, 2019

NPR's Steve Inskeep goes back in cycling history with Michael Kranish, whose new book is "The World's Fastest Man: The Extraordinary Life of Cyclist Major Taylor, America's First Black Sports Hero."

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Books
Arts

Real Disappearances Are The Premise For Laura Lippman's 'Lady In The Lake'

4:44pm July 25, 2019

by Mary Louise Kelly

In 1969, an 11-year-old white girl and a young, African American woman disappeared and died in Baltimore. The two cases were treated very differently by the media — and inspired Lippman's new novel.

Books
Arts

Why Grouchy, Rude 'Catwad' Is Catnip To Kids

12:50pm July 25, 2019

by Juanita Giles

Our monthly children's book column returns with a look at the dubious (to adults, at least) charms of cartoonist Jim Benton's grouchy feline Catwad, who has mastered the anti-joke.

Books
Arts

Meaning Well And Making A Mess In 'We Love Anderson Cooper'

11:06am July 25, 2019

by Heller McAlpin

R.L. Maizes' new story collection is a quirky mix of humor, gravity and warmth. She's drawn to outsiders who yearn for connection and who display behaviors and feelings they're not proud of.

Different parts of the brain aren't always in the same stage of sleep at the same time, notes neurologist and author Guy Leschziner. When this happens, an individual might order a pizza or go out for a drive — while technically still being fast asleep.

From Insomnia To Sexsomnia, Unlocking The 'Secret World' Of Sleep

8:09am July 24, 2019

by Dave Davies

Neurologist Guy Leschziner, author of The Nocturnal Brain, says the brain can be in different sleep stages at once — which explains why people sometimes walk, eat and even have sex when sleeping.

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The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal

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Arts

'Lager Queen' Author Was Tired Of Caricatures Of Midwestern Women

5:34pm July 23, 2019

by Ari Shapiro

J. Ryan Stradal wasn't seeing the strong, Midwestern women who raised him reflected well in contemporary fiction. So he decided to write those characters himself in The Lager Queen of Minnesota.

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J. Michael Straczynski attends the 30th annual Producers Guild Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on Jan. 19, 2019 in Beverly Hills, Calif.

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Arts

'Becoming Superman' Chronicles The Life And Career Of J. Michael Straczynski

4:18pm July 23, 2019

by Gabino Iglesias

While the prolific Hollywood writer's career is well-documented, his personal history has been a mystery. His memoir is painful and inspiring, infuriating and full of hope, humorous and depressing.

Gods of Jade and Shadow, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Books
Arts

'Gods Of Jade And Shadow' Spins A Dark, Dazzling Fairy Tale

10:00am July 23, 2019

by Arkady Martine

Silvia Moreno-Garcia's novel is set in an alternate Jazz Age Mexico, where gods and monsters from Mayan mythology walk the Earth and war with each other for dominion over Xibalba, the land of death.

The cover of Beijing Payback by Daniel Nieh

Books
Arts

In 'Beijing Payback,' The Immigrant Experience, But Make It A Crime Thriller

8:07pm July 22, 2019

by Ari Shapiro

Daniel Nieh used to be a model and a translator. He says both of those professions went into his debut novel, a page-turner about a college basketball player unraveling his Chinese father's murder.

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