Books

Books

'Unsheltered' Tackles The Unhealed Divisions In America

8:00am October 14, 2018

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks with Barbara Kingsolver about her novel "Unsheltered," where a dilapidated Victorian house, family fortunes in decline and the pressures of middle age all converge.

Watch out for Merlina — she'll steal your lunch with no regrets.

'The Ravenmaster' Is Definitely (There) For The Birds

8:00am October 14, 2018

by Petra Mayer

Legend says that if the ravens ever leave the Tower of London, England will fall. Luckily, ravenmaster Chris Skaife is there to care for them, and he's got a new book about these extraordinary birds.

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'The Witch Elm' Starts Slow, Then Sucks You In

7:00am October 14, 2018

by Bethanne Patrick

Tana French's new standalone novel packs a lot of character and background information into the first few chapters, but the atmosphere and dialogue will keep you turning pages as the mystery unfolds.

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Arts

For October, 3 Romances To Keep You On The Path To Happily Ever After

10:00am October 13, 2018

by Maya Rodale

A good romance is an easy read, but a tough emotional journey for the characters. This month, we're showcasing three books that'll keep you flipping pages through all the highs and lows along the way.

Smoke engulfs the Los Angeles Public Library on April 29, 1986. Susan Orlean tells the story of the fire in The Library Book.

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Mystery Of A Massive Library Fire Remains Unsolved After More Than 30 Years

8:05am October 13, 2018

by Scott Simon

On April 29, 1986, fire tore through Los Angeles' Central Library — more than one million books were damaged or destroyed. Susan Orlean tells the story of the suspected arson in The Library Book.

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'Heavy': Kiese Laymon's Memoir Examines How People Absorb Trauma

8:05am October 13, 2018

NPR's Scott Simon talks to Kiese Laymon about his relationship with his mother as well as his addiction to food and gambling. Both are documented in his new book, "Heavy: An American Memoir."

White Dancing Elephants, by Chaya Bhuvaneswar

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Difference Beats At The Heart Of 'White Dancing Elephants'

7:00am October 13, 2018

by Gabino Iglesias

Chaya Bhuvaneswar's new collection can be a hard read at times — she doesn't shy away from the difficulties of the immigrant experience in America. But these stories also offer a core of hope.

Gmorning, Gnight! by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jonny Sun

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Arts

In 'Gmorning, Gnight!' Jonny Sun And Lin-Manuel Miranda Craft A Peppy Pick-Me-Up

7:56pm October 12, 2018

by Ailsa Chang

What if, instead of reaching compulsively for your phone for comfort and distraction, you could pick up a book? That's what Lin-Manuel Miranda and illustrator Jonny Sun aimed for in their new book.

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A memorial mural of musician Leonard Cohen in downtown Montreal.

Leonard Cohen's Poem 'Kanye West Is Not Picasso,' As Read By Michael Shannon

7:31pm October 12, 2018

by Andrew Flanagan

Cohen talks Kanye, in the voice of Michael Shannon. It's all pretty straightforward, no?

My Brother's Husband vol. 2, by Gengoroh Tagame

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Arts

In 'My Brother's Husband Vol. 2,' Family Values (And The Value Of Family)

5:39pm October 12, 2018

by Glen Weldon

Part two of Gengoroh Tagame's heartfelt manga about a Japanese man coming to terms with his late brother's sexuality depicts an achingly real process of fits and starts, advancements and reversals.