Books

Books
Arts

'In Hoffa's Shadow' Uncovers An Author's Family Ties To A Mafia Mystery

1:36pm December 20, 2019

by Dave Davies

Jack Goldsmith's memoir centers on his investigation into his stepfather's involvement in the 1975 disappearance of the mob-connected labor leader Jimmy Hoffa. Originally published Oct. 1, 2019.

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NPR's Book Concierge offers 350+ new books handpicked by NPR staff and critics — including Neda Ulaby. Click here to find your next great read.

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Memoir Chronicles The 'Wild And Precious Life' Of Activist Edie Windsor

5:09am December 20, 2019

by Neda Ulaby

Joshua Lyon started interviewing the activist and bon vivant a year before her death in 2017. A Wild and Precious Life captures both an epoch in mid-20th century LGBT history and a singular voice.

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'Impeachment: A Handbook': How A Watergate-Era Essay Can Guide Us Today

5:43pm December 18, 2019

by Rose Friedman

Originally published in 1974, the barely 60-page essay by Charles L. Black Jr. is considered one of the reference works on the subject — and it's getting renewed attention.

Books

Adage: Cheaters Never Win. Fenster's Book: 'Cheaters Always Win'

6:14am December 18, 2019

NPR's Noel King talks to Julie Fenster about the pervasiveness of cheating in America. Fenster is the author of the book, Cheaters Always Win: The Story of America.

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A Book Of Poetry For Everyone

5:34pm December 17, 2019

Poet Tess Taylor shares some of her favorite poetry collections from the year — good for both savoring alone or gifting to others.

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Julie Andrews poses with baby Emma in November 1962. Andrews began filming Mary Poppins a few months after Emma's birth.

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When Mom Is Mary Poppins: Julie Andrews Writes Memoir With Her Daughter

2:21pm December 17, 2019

by Terry Gross

"It was sometimes difficult to share her," Emma Walton Hamilton says of life with her famous mom. Hamilton and Andrews have written 32 books together; their latest is Home Work.

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"We're in a golden age of picture books," says author Matt de la Peña. "There are books tackling so many different subjects that were never explored in the past."

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Kids' Books To Read Again, And Again, And Again, And Again, And Again, And ...

4:33pm December 16, 2019

by Audie Cornish

Kids almost never want to read a book just once. So we asked children's author (and dad) Matt de la Peña to share recommendations for books that stand up — even on their 10,000th reading.

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Books

Book Concierge: Jacqueline Woodson's Novel 'Red At The Bone'

6:12am December 16, 2019

by Lynn Neary

Red at the Bone is the story of three generations of two African American families. The novel takes the reader from the race massacre in Tulsa, Okla., to contemporary Brooklyn.

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This Book Teaches Kids The Concept Of 'Boonoonoonous' (It's A Good Thing)

8:03am December 15, 2019

by Samantha Balaban

Olive Senior, author of Boonoonoonous Hair, says the Jamaican word has fallen out of fashion, but it's time to bring it back. "If you're told you're boonoonoonous that's a great compliment," she says.

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Arts

'Imagine Pleasant Nonsense' With 'Strange Planet' Creator Nathan Pyle

7:00am December 15, 2019

by Liz Metzger

Nathan Pyle has amassed an Instagram following for his gently pastel-hued comics about aliens who narrate their everyday lives in a hilariously stilted manner. Now, the comics are out in book form.