Books

Tyler says as a kid she stood out because of her height, her glasses, and her vegetarian lunches.

Books

Comedian Aisha Tyler Talks About Flipping Off Failure

12:50pm July 12, 2013

by Shereen Marisol Meraji

In her new book, Self-Inflicted Wounds, Tyler writes about her dalliances with failure and humiliation on the long road to success. She says it wasn't easy being the geeky, tall, black girl who loves science fiction and video games. But it was worth it.

Queue Listen Now

Finding Meaning In The Mosh Pit Among Often-Reviled Groupies

12:49pm July 12, 2013

by NPR Staff

Pop-culture writer Nathan Rabin introduces us to some obsessive fans in his new book, You Don't Know Me But You Don't Like Me, which chronicles his experience following the followers of the bands Phish and Insane Clown Posse.

Queue Listen Now

Books
Arts

Lessons In Bigotry And Bravery: A Girl Grows Up In 'Glory Be'

5:55pm July 11, 2013

by NPR Staff

It's the summer of 1964, and everything's changing for 11-year-old Glory. She was looking forward to celebrating her 12th birthday at the local pool, but the town has shut it down to avoid integration. Members of NPR's Backseat Book Club share their questions with author Augusta Scattergood.

Queue Listen Now

Author Kate Christensen weaves her love of food and cooking into a new memoir.

Books
Arts

'Blue Plate Special': A Generous Helping Of Life

3:56pm July 10, 2013

Novelist Kate Christensen makes a plot line of her own life in a memoir that describes her struggles to come to terms with her family, her relationships and her sometimes violent father. A passionate lover of food, Christensen weaves recipes into a story of survival.

Queue Listen Now

Books
Arts

Chuck Klosterman On Batman, Bad Guys And Wearing 'The Black Hat'

6:00pm July 09, 2013

by NPR Staff

From Darth Vader's grown-up fan base to why people like mysterious vigilantes, Klosterman's I Wear The Black Hat is a meditation on villainy, both real and imagined.

Queue Listen Now

In his new book, Alfredo Corchado writes about the escalating violence in Mexico.

Drugs, Chaos And Violence Darken Mexico's 'Midnight'

2:11pm July 09, 2013

Journalist Alfredo Corchado covers Mexico for the Dallas Morning News. His new book, Midnight In Mexico, is part memoir and part recent history of the upheaval in the country. He talks to Fresh Air about the power of the cartels, the rampant corruption and the hopes for the future of Mexico.

Queue Listen Now

Books
Arts

'Five Star Billionaire' Shows The Human Cost Of Progress

12:37pm July 09, 2013

by Ellah Allfrey

Tash Aw's Five Star Billionaire, set in Shanghai, explores the dynamic tumult of that city. Reviewer Ellah Allfrey says that Aw, with gentle compassion and keen understanding, shows his characters succumb to the lure of a city where everything seems possible.

Queue Listen Now

How 'Dancing In The Street' Became A Protest Anthem

12:37pm July 09, 2013

by NPR Staff

Mark Kurlansky's book Ready for a Brand New Beat is a history of the song "Dancing in the Street." It was the soundtrack for the summer of 1964, when race riots and war protests spread across the United States.

Queue Listen Now

Books

Book Review: 'Skinner'

12:36pm July 09, 2013

by Alan Cheuse

Critic Alan Cheuse has a review of Charlie Huston's new book, Skinner.

Queue Listen Now

Portrait of Marie Duplessis by Charles Chaplin (1846)

Books
Arts

The Tragic Story Of 'Traviata' Muse Marie Duplessis

8:12pm July 02, 2013

by NPR Staff

The 19th-century courtesan died at 23 of tuberculosis, but her legacy inspired a successful play, several movies and the great Italian opera La Traviata. In The Girl Who Loved Camellias, Julie Kavanagh tracks her journey from Normandy peasant girl to romantic heroine.

Queue Listen Now