Books

Laura Barnett wrote a novel about an aging singer-songwriter sizing up her life in 16 tracks. Then she approached musician Kathryn Williams, who created the book's original soundtrack.

Debut novelist Sara Collins wanted to explore the roots of scientific racism and produced the Gothic novel The Confessions of Frannie Langton.

Ryan Chapman's debut novel opens in the middle of a prison riot as the unnamed narrator cowers in fear for his life — which doesn't seem like a setup for comedy, but it's packed with dark laughs.

NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Jared Cohen, author of Accidental Presidents: Eight Men Who Changed America. He chronicles the legacies of men who have taken office when the incumbent died.

Though a new study shows that eating unprocessed food is healthier, home-cooked meals require resources that food experts take for granted, such as money and time, the authors of a new book argue.

Linda Taylor rose to infamy during the 1970s, when prize-winning reporter George Bliss brought her criminal activity to light — and then-candidate Ronald Reagan turned her into the Welfare Queen.

The late Uruguayan novelist Mario Levrero was known for his gleeful weirdness. Empty Words follows a writer who tries to cure his block by writing boring nothings — and it's anything but boring.

Nuking the Moon is a new book that chronicles the history of unusual confidential military projects.

The author founded a platform for young Kenyan authors and came out as gay in a place where homosexuality has long been illegal. "Binyavanga was unbound in his imagining," said a friend and colleague.

Gifted writers Dan Abrams and David Fisher, who previously brought us Lincoln's Last Trial, are clearly fascinated by how Teddy Roosevelt's court case played out — bringing an enthusiasm to readers.

In a new autobiography, the great NFL quarterback details his ups (like a Super Bowl victory) and downs (like the Suzy Kolber incident and alcoholism) as he stares down his legacy.

While caring for her mother, who had dementia, bioethicist Tia Powell began imagining a different way to approach the disease. Her new book looks at long-term care options and end-of-life decisions.