Books

Books

Our Language Has 'Interesting Little Wrinkles,' Linguist Says

5:40pm September 05, 2016

by NPR Staff

John McWhorter of Columbia University says the way we use words changes, like how "literally" can now mean "figuratively." That example, he says, is a contronym, a word with two opposite meanings.

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Beatrix Potter wrote three drafts of The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots and did one watercolor illustration (above). But the book was left incomplete when she died in 1943, and it is now being published posthumously, with illustrations by Quentin Blake.

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A Kitty Leads A Double Life In Beatrix Potter's Posthumously Published Tale

1:25pm September 05, 2016

by Maureen Corrigan

The unfinished work is a curious afterword to Potter's beloved catalog. But perhaps the best thing about The Tale of Kitty-in-Boots is that it will likely send readers back to Potter's original work.

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In New Memoir, Alberto Gonzales Defends 'War On Terror' Tactics

5:03pm September 04, 2016

In his memoir True Faith and Allegiance, former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales defends the legacy of the Bush administration ahead of the 15th anniversary of Sept. 11.

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'The Art Of Waiting' Stands As Part Memoir, Part Cultural History Of Infertility

9:00am September 04, 2016

Author Belle Boggs struggled with infertility for years before she conceived her daughter. She talks with NPR's Rachel Martin about her new book.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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'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.

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'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.

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