Books

As Publishing Industry Courts China, Authors Speak Out Against Censorship

8:58am May 29, 2015

by Lynn Neary

Chinese writers and publishers are being celebrated this week at BookExpo America — the industry's largest trade event in North America. Free speech advocates are supporting silenced Chinese writers.

Queue Listen Now

A return to Pussy Galore's golden days: Honor Blackman, who played the character on screen in Goldfinger, poses with the original Bond, Sean Connery.

Books
Arts

'Trigger Mortis': New Bond Novel Brings Back Pussy Galore

5:37pm May 28, 2015

by Colin Dwyer

For author Anthony Horowitz, the book is a return to the "true" James Bond. This means an unpublished scene from Ian Fleming himself — and a long-delayed reunion with a franchise favorite.

Books
Arts

'The Water Knife' Cuts Deep

3:29pm May 28, 2015

by Jason Heller

Equal parts thriller and alarm call, Paolo Bacigalupi's new novel depicts a future America ravaged by drought. Reviewer Jason Heller says Bacigalupi keeps the plot taut and the dialogue slashing.

Capitol Hill Books owner Jim Toole runs the front register of his used bookstore several days a week. He has banned several words from his store, including "awesome," "perfect" and "Amazon."

Technology Of Books Has Changed, But Bookstores Are Hanging In There

12:59pm May 28, 2015

by Eric Weiner

The debate over whether digital books are better continues. Yet in the age of Amazon, the number of independent booksellers is up. The revival is fueled, at least in part, by digital natives.

Queue Listen Now

This summer brings many excellent books from writers of color.

The Worst Kind Of Groundhog Day: Let's Talk (Again) About Diversity In Publishing

11:57am May 28, 2015

by Roxane Gay

As a writer and critic, I am not just bored with this conversation. I am sick of it. I have written these sentences before. I will write them again.

A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson is May's Morning Edition book club selection. We'll talk with Atkinson on June 16. Read along with us, and send us your questions and comments about the book. (Book guide by Veronica Erb/NPR)

Books
Arts

Join The 'Morning Edition' Book Club As We Read 'A God In Ruins'

10:52am May 28, 2015

by NPR Staff

Gone Girl author Gillian Flynn, who selected the book, tells NPR's David Greene that Kate Atkinson is "one of those writers that really can make you weep on one page and laugh on the next."

Queue Listen Now

Books
Arts

For Actress Maria Bello, Family May Be Complicated, But 'Love Is Love'

5:25pm May 27, 2015

In her memoir Whatever ... Love is Love, Bello describes the evolution of her "modern family," which includes her romantic partner (a woman), her adolescent son and her son's father.

Queue Listen Now

Cover art from Do No Harm, by Dr. Henry Marsh.

A Neurosurgeon Reflects On The 'Awe And Mystery' Of The Brain

4:59pm May 27, 2015

In his memoir Do No Harm, Henry Marsh confesses to the uncertainties he's dealt with as a surgeon, revisits his triumphs and failures and reflects on the enigmas of the brain and consciousness.

Queue Listen Now

From left: Recipe developer Esme Robinson, chef-owner Yotam Ottolenghi and Nopi head chef Ramael Scully hover over the electric stovetop while preparing a dessert in the Ottolenghi test kitchen in London.

Books
Arts

In This Test Kitchen, The Secret To A Great Cookbook Is Try, Try Again

4:48pm May 27, 2015

by Madhulika Sikka

Yotam Ottolenghi and his partner have a thriving food empire that includes wildly successful cookbooks. We go inside their London test kitchen as recipes are put through their paces.

Books
Arts

Fat Is Not A Four-Letter Word In 'Dietland'

3:53pm May 27, 2015

by Annalisa Quinn

There are different kinds of fat people in literature — funny or comforting, sometimes despicable. But Sarai Walker's Dietland gives us a new fat protagonist — complex, compelling and dangerous.