Books

"Little Dancer," a sculpture by French artist Edgar Degas, is seen at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., on July 16, 2014.

Books
Arts

'Little Dancer' Brings Us To See The Person Behind The Famous Degas Sculpture

5:07pm November 20, 2018

by Heller McAlpin

Degas's sculpture "Little Dancer Aged Fourteen" is known the world over. But who is that young lady he depicts? Camille Laurens aims to find out — and realizes something about herself in the process.

Books

Author Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall Embarks On The Quest To Cure Hangovers In 'Hungover'

4:47pm November 20, 2018

As long as humans have imbibed alcohol, they've had hangovers. NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall about his book, Hungover: The Morning After and One Man's Quest for the Cure.

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Che: A Revolutionary Life, by Jon Lee Anderson and José Hernández.

'Che' Graphic Biography Explores The Myths And Truths Of The Legend

9:49am November 20, 2018

by Etelka Lehoczky

While José Hernández and Jon Lee Anderson struggle continually to balance nuanced truth with cartoony distillation, Che remains a remarkable accomplishment.

The Aspen Words literary prize is given to works of fiction that address contemporary issues.

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Arts

Exclusive: 'Friday Black,' 'There There' And More Longlisted For Aspen Words Prize

11:00am November 19, 2018

by Petra Mayer

Other titles include Ling Ma's Severance and Elaine Castillo's America is Not the Heart. This is the second year for the prize, which focuses on fiction that addresses contemporary issues.

A bookstore in England has sold a children's book that has been on the shelf for 27 years. The bookstore's tweet about the sale has since gone viral.

Books
Arts

Bookstore's Tweet On The Sale Of A Children's Book After 27 Years, Goes Viral

5:34pm November 18, 2018

by Shannon Van Sant

Broadhursts Bookshop in Southport, England, sold the book about William the Conqueror that had sat on the shelf for decades. The store's tweet about the sale has inspired thousands of replies.

Books

Book Review: 'Those Who Knew'

8:02am November 18, 2018

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks with author Idra Novey about her novel "Those Who Knew," which takes a look at the emotional toll of staying silent after an assault.

Books
Arts

This 'Ladder To The Sky' Is Grounded In The Dirty Depths

7:00am November 18, 2018

by Bethanne Patrick

John Boyne's new novel is about a literary schemer, striver and climber so dastardly and downright cruel that it seems impossible to enjoy reading about him — and yet, you definitely will.

Books

William Goldman Dies At 87

7:48am November 17, 2018

by Scott Simon

Writer William Goldman died this week — he had an outsized influence on films, and the way we talk to each other. Scott Simon remembers the screenwriting giant.

Books

Book Review: 'My Sister, The Serial Killer'

7:48am November 17, 2018

NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Nigerian author Oyinkan Braithwaite about her new book, "My Sister, the Serial Killer."

Death and Other Holidays, by Marci Vogel

Books
Arts

'Death And Other Holidays' Is A Perfect Literary Break

7:00am November 17, 2018

by Lily Meyer

Marci Vogel's new novella spans a year in the life of April, a young woman blindsided by loss. It's the perfect length for a story, and the perfect balance of humor, anger, sorrow and beauty.