Books

A writer by profession, Robert Hoge was the first member of his family to go to college.

'Ugly': A Memoir Of Childhood, Deformity And Learning To Love A Distinctive Face

8:49am September 04, 2016

by NPR Staff

Robert Hoge was born with deformed legs and a giant tumor between his eyes. In his new memoir, he describes his mother's shock and how she decided whether or not to bring him home.

Books
Arts

Former Journalist Sabaa Tahir Writes Dystopian Fantasies Inspired By The News

3:38pm September 03, 2016

by Neda Ulaby

Tahir got the idea for her series An Ember in the Ashes in 2007, after she was asked to edit a haunting news story at The Washington Post.

Queue Listen Now

Florida Man Defends His Homeland With 'Best. State. Ever.'

9:06am September 03, 2016

Dave Barry is defending his state with a new book. He talks to NPR's Scott Simon about his homeland as a place for oddballs, blockheads, and eccentrics

Rybczynski believes the oldest kind of chair was not a throne, but a folding chair.

Books
Arts

Better Sit Down For This One: An Exciting Book About The History Of Chairs

8:50am September 03, 2016

by Elizabeth Blair

OK, fine ... this new chair anthology might not keep you on the edge of your seat, but it does reveal some very interesting ideas about trends in design, culture and social values.

Books
Arts

'A Gentleman In Moscow' Is A Grand Hotel Adventure

7:00am September 03, 2016

by Annalisa Quinn

Amor Towles' new novel stars a Russian aristocrat, sentenced by the Soviets to permanent house arrest in a luxury hotel. It's a frothy romp that tends to overlook the reality of life under Stalin.

Books
Arts

'The Curse Of Cash' Makes Case For A World Without Paper Money

2:25pm September 02, 2016

NPR's Robert Siegel talks with Kenneth Rogoff about his latest book, The Curse of Cash, in which he argues advanced economies should slowly phase out most paper currency.

Queue Listen Now

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Calls Colin Kaepernick's Concerns 'Very Admirable'

1:33pm September 02, 2016

by NPR Staff

The basketball legend weighs in on the 49ers quarterback, who has decided not to stand when the national anthem is played before games.

Queue Listen Now

Books
Arts

Robin Ha's New Cookbook Mixes Korean Cuisine With Comics

4:28pm September 01, 2016

Korean-American artist Robin Ha's first cookbook is filled with recipes she learned from her mother. And appropriately, it's a comic book. Ha talks and cooks with NPR's Ari Shapiro.

Queue Listen Now

The Nix by Nathan Hill (Emily Bogle/NPR)

Books
Arts

'The Nix' Is A Vicious, Sprawling Satire With A Very Human Heart

10:26am August 31, 2016

by Jason Sheehan

Historical events both real (the 1968 Democratic Convention, Occupy Wall Street) and imagined come to life in this novel. Reviewer Jason Sheehan says it will make you laugh and break your heart.

Curioddity by Paul Jenkins (Emily Bogle/NPR)

Books
Arts

'Curioddity' Needs More Curiosity, More Oddity

7:00am August 31, 2016

by Jason Heller

Award-winning comic book writer Paul Jenkins tries his hand at the novel with Curioddity, but this quirky tale of imagination and innocence regained is smothered in smirking self-consciousness.