Books

Books
Arts

E-Books Destroying Traditional Publishing? The Story's Not That Simple

9:40pm December 27, 2012

by Zoe Chace

Conventional wisdom says e-books are destroying the traditional publishing business model. But the story's not that simple. For one thing, flexible pricing allows publishers to hold what amount to one-day-only sales on any given title — which means more people will discover that book.

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About three-quarters of public libraries offer digital lending, but finding a book you want can be frustrating — every publisher has its own set of rules.

Books
Arts

Libraries And E-Lending: The 'Wild West' Of Digital Licensing?

9:40pm December 27, 2012

by NPR Staff

About three-quarters of public libraries offer e-books, according to the American Library Association. But finding the book you want to read can be a challenge when every publisher has its own licensing rules for libraries — and several major houses don't sell e-books to libraries at all.

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R.A. Dickey currently plays for the New York Mets. He was previously with the Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers and Milwaukee Brewers.

Sports
Books

R.A. Dickey On 'Winding Up' As A Knuckleballer

12:18pm December 27, 2012

New York Mets pitcher R.A. Dickey is currently the only knuckleball pitcher in the major leagues. His memoir, Wherever I Wind Up, explains how his life — and career — have mimicked the unpredictable trajectory of the difficult pitch he throws game after game.

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Joan Rivers says her material has only gotten stronger with age. "I always say, 'What are you going to do? Are you going to fire me? Been fired. Going to be bankrupt? Been bankrupt.'"

Books
Arts

Joan Rivers Hates You, Herself and Everyone Else

12:19pm December 26, 2012

Comedian Joan Rivers hates a lot of things. Her new book, I Hate Everyone, Starting With Me, details the things Rivers can't stand, from her appearance to obituaries to younger comedians who steal her gigs.

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The SciFri Book Club Tours 'The Planets'

11:36am December 26, 2012

The SciFri Book Club is touring the solar system, with Dava Sobel's 2005 The Planets. Call in with a review of the book. Plus Jim Green, director of planetary science at NASA, joins the club to give an update on what's happened planet-wise since the book was published.

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Books
Arts

Recipe Rebellion: A Year Of Contrarian Cookbooks

4:20pm December 25, 2012

The rebels, rule breakers and renegades who rule this year's Top 10 list aren't looking for a Ph.D. in Traditional Cooking. They're pleasure seekers whose books are filled with quirky facts, gorgeous pictures and ingredients deployed in unexpected places.

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Illustration: a superhero flies while reading a book.

Books
Arts

Graphic Novels That Flew Under The Radar In 2012

4:20pm December 25, 2012

by Glen Weldon

It's been a great year for high-profile comics creators, producing landmark works destined for many "Best Comics of 2012" lists. But what about the lesser-known artists and their work? Glen Weldon points to outstanding works that haven't gotten the attention they deserve.

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E.T.A. Hoffmann's original story, "Nutcracker and Mouse King," is darker and spookier than the ballet version most people know.

No Sugar Plums Here: The Dark, Romantic Roots Of 'The Nutcracker'

4:20pm December 25, 2012

by NPR Staff

Few people today remember E.T.A. Hoffmann, but most everyone is familiar with his most famous creation: The Nutcracker. NPR's Robert Siegel traces the history of everyone's favorite Christmas ballet all the way back to its much darker original version.

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William Knoedelseder spent 12 years as an investigative reporter at the Los Angeles Times. He lives in Woodland Hills, Calif.

Books
Arts

The 'Bitter' Tale Of The Budweiser Family

9:05am December 24, 2012

by Acacia Squires

That trademark brew, Budweiser, is known to the world as the "King of Beers," and the Busch family was once considered practically royalty. Their early success led to a reign that lasted 150 years, but the end, when it came, wasn't so glorious.

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Books
Arts

Self-Publishing: No Longer Just A Vanity Project

5:44am December 20, 2012

by Lynn Neary

It used to be called the "vanity press," a name that carried a sniff of derision. But Lynn Neary reports that self-publishing has become a booming business, spawning best-sellers, and attracting the interest of Amazon and the major publishing houses.

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