Books

Books

Pop Culture Happy Hour, Small Batch: The Rise Of Fan Fiction

12:22pm November 04, 2014

by Stephen Thompson

In the wake of news about One Direction erotic fiction, Stephen Thompson sits down with our resident fan-fiction enthusiast, Petra Mayer, to discuss fan-driven writing and the future of publishing.

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Tom Hanks, perhaps imagining the loss of one of his typewriters.

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Book News: Tom Hanks Turns To The Typewriter For His Debut Collection

10:50am November 04, 2014

by Colin Dwyer

The actor and director plans to write his first book of short stories, and he plans to make it about another collection — his personal trove of typewriters. Also: Jill Abramson details her startup.

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'The Heart Does Not Grow Back' Could Use An Imagination Transfusion

7:03am November 04, 2014

by Jason Heller

Fred Venturini's debut has a fascinating concept: What happens when a small-town kid gets amazing healing powers? But critic Jason Heller says the book never manages to explore that question fully.

Many Views Of Muhammad, As A Man And As A Prophet

7:21pm November 03, 2014

by NPR Staff

In her new book, The Lives of Muhammad, Boston University professor Kecia Ali discusses the different ways that Muslim and non-Muslim biographers have depicted the prophet over the centuries.

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Aasif Mandvi, whose new book is No Land's Man, starred in and co-wrote the 2009 film Today's Special, which was adapted from his off-Broadway one-man show.

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Aasif Mandvi On Life As A 'No Land's Man' And Impressing Jon Stewart

6:57pm November 03, 2014

The Daily Show correspondent was born in India, raised in England and moved to Florida as a teen. His new essay collection reflects on his acting career and his life as an immigrant.

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Rebuilding A Broken Family 'In Plain Sight'

6:23pm November 03, 2014

by Alan Cheuse

Somali author Nuruddin Farah's new novel follows a glamorous photographer who takes in her brother's children after he dies in a terrorist bombing. Reviewer Alan Cheuse calls it complex yet uplifting.

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This coffee drinker prepares to sprinkle some of what very well may be, in the words of one character, a "party in a packet."

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Book News: To Make This E-Book Sweeter, Just Add Product Placement

9:43am November 03, 2014

by Colin Dwyer

Makers of Sweet'N Low invested big bucks to appear in Find Me I'm Yours. But that's not the only noteworthy novel out this week: Denis Johnson, Ha Jin, Will Self and Richard Ford all have new books.

A 19th Century Novel Explains Quantitative Easing

6:36pm November 02, 2014

by John Lanchester

This week, the Federal Reserve ended the quantitative easing program. Author John Lanchester says Anthony Trollope's 19th century novel The Way We Live Now clarifies the current financial situation.

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Professor and author Cornel West in 2008.

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Reviving A Grand Tradition Of 'Black Prophetic Fire'

12:35pm November 02, 2014

by NPR Staff

African-American philosopher Cornel West's new book laments the decline of "prophetic" black leadership, lifting up examples of people who were willing to risk their lives in the service of the truth.

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Like It Or Not, Architect Le Corbusier's Urban Designs Are Everywhere

10:04am November 02, 2014

by NPR Staff

"He's blamed for urban renewal ... urban freeways, even countless suburban office parks," says Anthony Flint, author of the new Le Corbusier biography Modern Man.

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