1 parent is responsible for a book ban in North Carolina
In a North Carolina school district newly controlled by Republicans, it took just one parent's complaint to remove a book from the curriculum.
Books
'Wednesday's Child' deals in life after loss
The stories in Yiyun Li's book focus chiefly on people trying to put themselves together after loss, dealing with anguish that takes its time and rises from its dormancy at unexpected moments.
Descendants of a famous poet wrestle with his vexed legacy in 'The Wren, The Wren'
An acclaimed Irish poet deserts his sick wife and two young daughters. Anne Enright's new novel centers on the way that betrayal reverberates throughout the next generations.
Historical fiction 'The Fraud' is about a man's testimony of outrageous, obvious lies
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with author Zadie Smith about her first work of historical fiction The Fraud, about the trial of a man who says one provably false thing after another.
'Holly' is one of Stephen King's most political novels to date
Holly is a gripping crime novel — one that's very close to the traditional King horror aesthetic. The author hasn't been shy about his politics, but this is one of his most political books to date.
Comic Maria Bamford is down to 'Join Your Cult'
Bamford has been part of five different 12-step programs, including groups for overeaters and sex and love addicts. In her new memoir, she jokes about anxiety, depression and the desire to fit in.
5 YA books for fall that give academia vibes
These new tales offer up eerie magics, mysterious buildings, tentative friendships, and a whole lot of excellent excuses for why someone's homework didn't get done.
In 'The Fraud,' Zadie Smith seeks to 'do absolute justice to the truth'
The historical fiction novel centers on a real-life Victorian Era trial. Smith says she doesn't look back on the past with a sense of superiority: In her view, human life is "a continued struggle."
Black women recorded famous rock 'n' rolls songs but few remember their names
NPR's Daniel Estrin talks to Emily Sieu Liebowitz and Laura Flam, the authors of But Will You Love Me Tomorrow. It's a collection of interviews of more than 100 members of girl groups in the 1960s.
How I learned that creativity and vulnerability go hand in hand
I often call Julia Cameron, the luminary behind The Artist's Way, my fairy godmother. Her philosophy has helped me understand that the ability to be artistic comes more naturally than one would think.