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Books
Arts

'Sourdough' Rises Like A Good Loaf

4:42am September 03, 2017

by Jason Sheehan

Robin Sloan's latest is a beautiful, small, sweet, quiet book that takes a deep dive into the world of food, underground restaurants and markets, and the magic power of a good sourdough starter.

Nathan Englander is also the author of What We Talk About When We Talk About Anne Frank.

Nathan Englander Says His New Book Is 'A Turducken Of A Novel'

8:04am September 02, 2017

by Scott Simon

Englander describes Dinner at the Center of the Earth as "a political thriller that's wrapped up in a historical novel that's really a love story that ends up being an allegory."

What Remains of Edith Finch is a time-hopping family tragedy that centers on a spooky old house.

Books
Arts

Reading The Game: 'What Remains Of Edith Finch'

7:19am September 02, 2017

by Jason Sheehan

Our occasional series on storytelling in video games continues with What Remains of Edith Finch, a complex, time-skipping family tragedy that'll leave you with scars — but trust us, it's worth it.

Books
Arts

Celia Perez's New Novel 'The First Rule Of Punk' Comes With Advice For Adolescents

4:32pm September 01, 2017

NPR's Kelly McEvers talks with Celia Perez about her book, The First Rule of Punk for middle-grade readers. The first rule? Be yourself.

Books
Arts

'The Burning Girl' Is More Than Just A Pretty Victim

5:24pm August 31, 2017

by Annalisa Quinn

Edgar Allan Poe once wrote that the death of a beautiful woman is "unquestionably, the most poetical topic in the world." In her new book, The Burning Girl, Claire Messud responds: Not to us women.

Hunter S. Thompson's Widow Opens Doors To His 'War Room'

4:31pm August 31, 2017

by Claire Woodcock

Years after his death, gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson's legend lives on. His widow takes Aspen Public Radio's Claire Woodcock on a visit to The War Room in his home, where Thompson spent 16 hours a day locked in, writing such pieces as Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

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Jesmyn Ward poses for a portrait near DeLisle Bayou in DeLisle, Miss. Ward, 40, has chosen to return to DeLisle and raise her children there, despite her profound ambivalence about what the town represents.

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Arts

Writing Mississippi: Jesmyn Ward Salvages Stories Of The Silenced

4:31pm August 31, 2017

by Melissa Block

The author's books are set in the poor, black Mississippi community where she grew up, a place where, she says, "the past bears very heavily on the present."

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An illustration of beard lichens, a plant mentioned in writings by author J.R.R. Tolkien. It appears in The Children of Húrin, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

Books

Tolkien's Plant Passion Moves Botanist To Create Guide To Middle Earth

2:47pm August 31, 2017

by David Fuchs

Botanist Walter Judd has created a book that tests the limits of The Lord of the Rings fandom. It's an examination of the many plants and trees that J.R.R. Tolkien used in his novels.

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Terry Pratchett, pictured in 2008 in London.

In Fitting Postscript, Terry Pratchett Had His Unfinished Works Steamrolled

4:39pm August 30, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

The late Discworld author didn't want anyone else polishing his unfinished books and publishing them after his death. So he asked for them to be crushed — and his estate manager dutifully complied.

Books
Arts

Celebrating 30 Years Of 'Fresh Air': Pulitzer Prize-Winning Novelist John Updike

2:38pm August 30, 2017

Over the course of his decades-long career, Updike authored more than 25 novels, including the Rabbit series. He also penned short stories, poems, essays and a memoir. Originally broadcast in 1989.

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