Books

Books

A new book asks if AI can cause the kinds of nuclear disasters seen in movies

8:27am December 09, 2023

by Scott Simon

NPR's Scott Simon speaks to Edward Geist, a policy researcher at the RAND Corporation, about his new book, "Deterrence under Uncertainty: Artificial Intelligence and Nuclear Warfare."

Books
Arts

4 coffee table art books from 2023 that are a visual feast

6:00am December 09, 2023

by Heller McAlpin

This group ranges from a fabulous collection by contemporary, neurodiverse artists to Milton Glaser's pop art, and Aino and Alvar Aalto's Finnish modernist designs to a survey of Islamic architecture.

A page from Transitions: A Mother's Journey.

Books
Arts

'Transitions' explores the process of a mother's acceptance of her child's gender

10:03am December 08, 2023

by Tahneer Oksman

First published in French in 2021 as Journal d'Anne Marbot, Élodie Durand's book is a welcome addition to the growing number of graphic novels exploring transgender and genderqueer identities.

Books
Arts

'SNL' actor Kenan Thompson says, 'I am definitely an ensemble-minded individual'

1:24pm December 07, 2023

by Tonya Mosley

In his new book, When I Was Your Age, Thompson shares stories from his life and career, including his early days at SNL and his estrangement from his longtime Nickelodeon co-star Kel Mitchell.

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Books
Arts

They're not cute and fuzzy — but this book makes the case for Florida's alligators

12:06pm December 07, 2023

by Gabino Iglesias

Rebecca Renner's Gator Country is an impeccably researched love letter to Florida's flora and fauna. She argues that alligators deserve the same respect and protection as any other animal in danger.

Books

High Point Library to launch book club for challenged works

12:15pm December 06, 2023

by Paul Garber

There’s been a surge in attempts to censor books in libraries across the country this year. Now the High Point Public Library is responding with a new club.

Books
Arts

'All the Little Bird-Hearts' explores a mother-daughter relationship

5:00am December 06, 2023

by Martha Anne Toll

Through the eyes of an autistic woman named Sunday, Viktoria Lloyd-Barlow explores family relationships and friendships in her debut novel, longlisted for the Booker Prize.

Books
Arts

In a year of book bans, Maureen Corrigan's top 10 affirm the joy of reading widely

5:00am December 06, 2023

by Maureen Corrigan

Fresh Air's book critic says 2023 was an outstanding year for reading. Corrigan shares 10 of her favorite titles – a wide-ranging list of fiction and nonfiction.

Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., vice chairwoman of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack, delivers remarks during a hearing on Oct. 13, 2022.

Liz Cheney, focused on stopping Trump, hasn't ruled out 3rd-party presidential run

5:59pm December 05, 2023

by Terry Gross

The former representative says a second Trump presidency would be an "existential threat" to democracy: "There's simply no defense, no excuse for putting that power back in the hands of Donald Trump."

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A new novel explores the poetic and mundane of life in space

5:37pm December 05, 2023

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with author Samantha Harvey about her new book Orbital, which examines the fascinating mundane-ness of outer space from the perspective of an international space station.