Busy Chef Strives For Balanced Mix Of Home Life, Culinary Ambitions
Restaurant owner and Top Chef finalist Bryan Voltaggio tries to find the right recipe for blending work, family duties and the pressures of being on the road.
Books
Celebrating Passover: The History And Symbolism Of Matzo Balls
Matzo balls are at the center of any Passover seder. Cookbook author Joan Nathan, known as the "grande dame" of Jewish cooking, explains the history behind this culinary tradition.
Sprawling, Soaring 'Grace Of Kings' Changes The Fantasy Landscape
Ken Liu's debut is an epic saga of gods, kings and rebels, set in an invented world with echoes of pan-Asian myth. Reviewer Amal El-Mohtar calls it "beautiful, nuanced, fierce, original and diverse."
In 'American Warlord,' Real-Life Drama Falls Flat On The Page
Johnny Dwyer's book tells the amazing, horrifying story of Chucky Taylor, son of the infamous Liberian dictator Charles Taylor. But flat writing and unforthcoming subjects make it a difficult read.
Book Review: Jo Nesbo, 'Blood On Snow'
NPR's Alan Cheuse reviews the new novel by crime writer Jo Nesbo, Blood On Snow.
Philip Glass On Legacy: 'The Future ... It's All Around Us'
For the composer, life is how the past and the future connect. Glass' new memoir, Words Without Music, looks back on his childhood, travels through Asia and when his music provoked violence.
Candice Bergen On Marriage, Death And Murphy Brown's Demons
In her latest memoir, Candice Bergen writes about coping with her husband's death. NPR's Rachel Martin speaks with Bergen about how that experience changed her relationship with her daughter.
'So That Happened': Confessions Of A Duck-Man
Actor Jon Cryer's new memoir details his life in show business, including, of course, co-star Charlie Sheen's meltdown. NPR TV critic Eric Deggans says Cryer's a smart guy who's often been overlooked.
Brattling After The Pacifire: 'That Should Be A Word'
Kinnovator, Fidgital, Bangst. This isn't gibberish. It's the language of Lizzie Skurnick. NPR's Rachel Martin talks to Skurnick about her new book, That Should Be a Word.
Making Sense Of Murder In 'Visiting Hours'
In college, Amy Butcher found herself on the periphery of a murder. The incident haunted her for years. NPR's Rachel Martin speaks with Butcher about her debut memoir, Visiting Hours.