Books

Encore: Author Kati Marton explores Angela Merkel's impact on Germany and the world

4:19pm November 25, 2021

NPR's Sarah McCammon speaks with author Kati Marton about her biography of Angela Merkel, The Chancellor, and what the politician's departure means for Germany and the world.

Snail Mail's sophomore album is called Valentine.

Books
Arts

What's Making Us Happy: A Guide For Your Weekend Watching, Listening And Reading

12:00pm November 25, 2021

Each week, the guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: the new album by Snail Mail, the 2020 book Piranesi and more.

Steven Van Zandt [left], James Gandolfini and Tony Sirico starred in HBO's hit television series, The Sopranos.

Books

HBO revolutionized TV, but the next few years are tipped to be pivotal for its future

7:30pm November 24, 2021

by Eric Deggans

Journalist James Andrew Miller and NPR TV critic Eric Deggans talk about how HBO changed television and why the next few years are pivotal for the network's future.

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Books We Love: Ari Shapiro picks 'Build Your House Around My Body'

4:35pm November 24, 2021

The 2021 NPR Books We Love list is here. NPR's Ari Shapiro shares one of his favorite books from this year, Build Your House Around My Body by Violet Kupersmith.

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Books
Arts

Here are the Books We Love: 360+ great 2021 reads recommended by NPR

3:39pm November 24, 2021

Books We Love (formerly known as NPR's Book Concierge) is back with a new name and 360+ new books handpicked just for you by NPR staff and trusted critics.

Books

NPR's Book Concierge returns with a new name, a new look and new books

8:53am November 24, 2021

NPR's end of the year picks are collected in a recommendation tool we're calling: Books We Love. It's more than just a list of the year's best books.

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Ann Patchett on the friendship that came from quarantining with Tom Hanks' assistant

4:45pm November 23, 2021

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with author Ann Patchett about her latest collection of essays, These Precious Days, and how she ended up quarantining with Tom Hanks' personal assistant.

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Books

A new book details the rise of Home Box Office since the channel debuted in 1972

4:45pm November 23, 2021

by Eric Deggans

James Andrew Miller's new book, Tinderbox, tells the history of HBO starting with its 1972 debut. HBO succeeded as a cable channel revolutionizing TV by airing programs most outlets wouldn't touch.

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Thanksgiving cookbooks to keep it simple.

Books
Arts

These 5 cookbooks help keep Thanksgiving simple — and focused on family

10:19am November 23, 2021

by T. Susan Chang

For many, Thanksgiving will be the first holiday where family gathers since the start of the pandemic. We offer some cookbooks that aim to keep meal prep easy, so there's more time for loved ones.

These Precious Days: Essays, by Ann Patchett

Books
Arts

Ann Patchett reflects on love and relationships in new essay collection

7:11am November 23, 2021

by Annalisa Quinn

Even when nominally about something else, the essays in These Precious Days are about the weight and grief of relationships. "I was asking what mattered most in this precarious and precious life."