Books

Books
Arts

'Shame And Wonder' Is Light On Shame, Heavy On Wonder

3:39pm December 31, 2015

by Annalisa Quinn

David Searcy's essay collection finds the marvelous in everything from classic cars to Scrooge McDuck. Though it lacks some leavening humor, it's a lovely argument for approaching the world with awe.

Books
Arts

How Clementine Churchill Wielded Influence As Winston's Wife

9:36am December 31, 2015

by NPR Staff

Biographer Sonia Purnell says Clementine once remarked that she "would have loved to have been a statesman in her own right if only she had been born with trousers rather than petticoats."

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Books

'Fear And Clothing': A Travelogue Of America Through The Clothes We Wear

5:49am December 31, 2015

by Jackie Lyden

Author Cintra Wilson says she's a fashion outsider. She calls her book — Fear and Clothing: Unbuckling American Style — a psychological invasion of America's closets, including her own.

Books
Arts

From NPR's International Desk: A Few Of Our Favorite Reads

6:41pm December 30, 2015

From ancient China to its modern rise, from the searing feuds of the Middle East to the cultural contradictions of Rio, our international staff offers up some of the best books of 2015. Enjoy.

Books
Arts

At 81, Feminist Gloria Steinem Finds Herself Free Of The 'Demands Of Gender'

1:34pm December 30, 2015

As she approached 60, the co-founder of Ms. magazine says, she entered a new phase in life, one in which "you can do what you want." Originally broadcast Oct. 26, 2015.

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Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Ed Tarkington

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Flawed But Readable 'Love' May Break Your Heart

11:02am December 30, 2015

by Bethanne Patrick

Ed Tarkington's debut, Only Love Can Break Your Heart, mixes mystery and coming-of-age in a lush Southern Gothic setting. Critic Bethanne Patrick says despite some missteps, it's beautifully written.

How much do editors shape the final book we read?

Books
Arts

What Exactly Does An Editor Do? The Role Has Changed Over Time

9:37am December 30, 2015

by Lynn Neary

Earlier this year it became clear that Harper Lee had extensively revised To Kill a Mockingbird on the advice of her editor. That made us wonder: How much do editors shape the books we read?

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How Eisenhower's Strategies Could Help Obama When It Comes To ISIS

7:33am December 30, 2015

Steve Inskeep talks to Evan Thomas, author of Ike's Bluff: President Eisenhower's Secret Battle to Save the World — about lessons that can be learned from Eisenhower's national security strategies.

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'Sailor And Fiddler' Is A Lovely Coda To A Literary Career

6:04pm December 29, 2015

by Michael Schaub

Herman Wouk says his new memoir will be his last book — at 100, he says, he is at last free of a lifelong to-do list. Critic Michael Schaub says the book is surprisingly short, but packed with charm.

Books
Arts

Ta-Nehisi Coates On Police Brutality, The Confederate Flag And Forgiveness

1:26pm December 29, 2015

Growing up in Baltimore, the writer faced threats from both the streets and the police. His book, Between the World and Me, is an open letter to his teenage son. Originally broadcast July 13, 2015.

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