This Malaysian island offers endless stories and inspiration. Just ask Tan Twan Eng
His latest book, The House of Doors, is a decade-shifting story that delves into tragedy, cultural dissonance and memory loss.
Books
'Charlie Chaplin vs. America' explores the accusations that sent a star into exile
Author Scott Eyman explains how Chaplin was smeared in the press, scandalized for his affairs with young women, condemned for his alleged communist ties and banned from returning to the U.S.
Staff at NYC cultural center resign after acclaimed author's event canceled
After a talk by Pulitzer winner Viet Thanh Nguyen was "postponed," some authors also pulled out of future events. The writer had signed an open letter criticizing Israel and calling for a ceasefire.
'Let Us Descend' follows a slave on a painful journey — finding some hope on the way
Jesmyn Ward's narrative forces readers to look at our country's ugly past and face the lingering effects of history — but it also tells a story of perseverance and the power of the spiritual world.
'The House of Doors' by Tan Twan Eng explores frustrated love on a diverse island
NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with author Tan Twan Eng about his latest book, The House of Doors, a decade shifting novel delving into tragedy, cultural dissonance and memory loss.
Mitt Romney biographer offers a startling account of dysfunction in the Senate
Atlantic writer McKay Coppins spent countless hours with the Utah senator and shares Romney's take on what Republican leaders privately think about Donald Trump. Coppins' book is Romney: A Reckoning.
In 'I Must Be Dreaming,' Roz Chast succeeds in engaging us with her dreams
Talk about a dream, kill a conversation. But not in the case of graphic novelist Roz Chast. Even her subconscious emanations present deliciously skewed takes on life's absurdities and fraught moments.
Why children of married parents do better, but America is moving the other way
Almost half of all babies born in the U.S. are born to unmarried mothers. That's not good for children, says progressive economist Melissa Kearney in her new book, The Two-Parent Privilege.
Two-time National Book Award-winning author Jesmyn Ward on her novel 'Let Us Descend'
"Let Us Descend" tells the story of a young enslaved woman before the Civil War. NPR's Ayesha Rascoe talks with author Jesmyn Ward about the new book, which she modeled after Dante's "Inferno."
A new graphic novel version of 'Watership Down' aims to temper darkness with hope
A half-century after the book's publication, the author's daughters sought a team to render the children's classic in pictures but stay close to the text. Enter James Sturm and Joe Sutphin.