Post Arab Spring, Where Do Islamist Parties Stand?
Steve Inskeep talks with author Shadi Hamid about his new book, Temptations of Power: Islamists and Illiberal Democracy in a New Middle East.
Books
Son Of A Secret Smuggler Digs Up The Truth About His Dad
Tony Dokoupil's father was once busted for distributing enough marijuana "to roll a joint for every college-age person in America." In The Last Pirate, Dokoupil reflects on his dad's time as a dealer.
'Lovesongs' Examines What It Means To Come Home
A new novel, Shotgun Lovesongs, interlaces the stories of friends who keep returning to each other, to grasp hold of where they are in the world. NPR's Scott Simon talks with author Nickolas Butler.
An Ode To Our Newest Neighbor: Biden, The Pink Dwarf Planet
In honor of the newly discovered planet, 2012 VP113, aka Biden, author Jason Sheehan recommends First Light by Richard Preston and Andy Weir suggests the short story "Flatlander," by Larry Niven.
In 'Storied Life,' Characters Come With A Reading List
At its heart, Gabrielle Zevin's new novel is a love letter to the joys of reading. Each chapter starts with the title of a book or short story, essentially introducing characters by what they read.
Book Review: 'How To Dance As The Roof Caves In'
Poet Tess Taylor reviews Nick Lantz's third poetry collection, How to Dance As The Roof Caves In.
It Was The Best Of Sentences ...
Editors at The American Scholar magazine picked the 10 best sentences from fiction and nonfiction, with authors ranging from Toni Morrison to James Joyce.
In Karen Russell's World, Sleep Is For The Lucky Few
Karen Russell has set her latest story in a terrible future where insomnia has become a national crisis. Sleep Donation is a digital download from a new publisher called Atavist Books.
'Redeployment' Explores Iraq War's Physical And Psychic Costs
In his short story collection, former Marine Phil Klay takes his experience in Iraq and clarifies it, lucidly tracing the moral, political and psychological curlicues of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
'Sleep Donation': A Dark, Futuristic Lullaby For Insomniacs
Karen Russell's new book imagines a mysterious insomnia epidemic so serious that many are dying from lack of sleep. But the cure — sleep donations from babies — is hard to swallow.