Books

Books
Arts

'Jade War' Is A Magical, Operatic Crime And Family Drama

10:00am July 28, 2019

by Jason Sheehan

Fonda Lee's Jade War is the second volume in her sweeping yet intimate saga about two clans on a small island nation, battling for control over supplies of the magical jade that powers their fighters.

Books

Former CIA Official Philip Mudd Discusses New Book On Post-9/11 Intelligence Community

8:51am July 28, 2019

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks to Philip Mudd about his new book, "Black Site: The CIA in the Post-9/11 World."

This costume, with corn husks and feathers and paper flowers, is worn by a member of a dance group that gathers in cemeteries and other places to mark Day of the Dead festivities (called Xantolo, the word written above the mask). The idea of combining a s

Books
Arts

A Photographer's Vision Of The Magical Masks Of Mexico

7:07am July 28, 2019

by Cathy Newman

On festivals that range from Day of the Dead to Easter, Mexicans hide their true identity behind fantastic masks that conjure up both indigenous — and European — traditions.

Books

Author Caitlin Horrocks Explores Brilliance of Composer Erik Satie In 'The Vexations'

8:03am July 27, 2019

by Scott Simon

NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Caitlin Horrocks about her debut novel, The Vexations. It's about French composer Erik Satie and his siblings.

Books

A Complicated Puzzle Gets Closer To Solution In 'The Dark Above'

7:00am July 27, 2019

by Bethanne Patrick

In Jeremy Finley's followup to The Darkest Time of Night, too many plot threads tangle the story — but his strong, well-realized women are a welcome presence in this supernatural thriller.

Books
Arts

These Cli-Fi Classics Are Cautionary Tales For Today

10:00am July 26, 2019

by Jason Heller

As heat waves roll across Europe and storms pummel the American South, literature is responding. But climate fiction — or cli-fi — is nothing new, and we've got a roundup of some classics.

Books

Life Of Black Cyclist Major Taylor Chronicled In New Book 'The World's Fastest Man'

5:34am July 26, 2019

NPR's Steve Inskeep goes back in cycling history with Michael Kranish, whose new book is "The World's Fastest Man: The Extraordinary Life of Cyclist Major Taylor, America's First Black Sports Hero."

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Books
Arts

Real Disappearances Are The Premise For Laura Lippman's 'Lady In The Lake'

4:44pm July 25, 2019

by Mary Louise Kelly

In 1969, an 11-year-old white girl and a young, African American woman disappeared and died in Baltimore. The two cases were treated very differently by the media — and inspired Lippman's new novel.

Books
Arts

Why Grouchy, Rude 'Catwad' Is Catnip To Kids

12:50pm July 25, 2019

by Juanita Giles

Our monthly children's book column returns with a look at the dubious (to adults, at least) charms of cartoonist Jim Benton's grouchy feline Catwad, who has mastered the anti-joke.

Books
Arts

Meaning Well And Making A Mess In 'We Love Anderson Cooper'

11:06am July 25, 2019

by Heller McAlpin

R.L. Maizes' new story collection is a quirky mix of humor, gravity and warmth. She's drawn to outsiders who yearn for connection and who display behaviors and feelings they're not proud of.