Books

An illustration of beard lichens, a plant mentioned in writings by author J.R.R. Tolkien. It appears in The Children of Húrin, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

Books

Tolkien's Plant Passion Moves Botanist To Create Guide To Middle Earth

2:47pm August 31, 2017

by David Fuchs

Botanist Walter Judd has created a book that tests the limits of The Lord of the Rings fandom. It's an examination of the many plants and trees that J.R.R. Tolkien used in his novels.

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Terry Pratchett, pictured in 2008 in London.

In Fitting Postscript, Terry Pratchett Had His Unfinished Works Steamrolled

4:39pm August 30, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

The late Discworld author didn't want anyone else polishing his unfinished books and publishing them after his death. So he asked for them to be crushed — and his estate manager dutifully complied.

Books
Arts

Celebrating 30 Years Of 'Fresh Air': Pulitzer Prize-Winning Novelist John Updike

2:38pm August 30, 2017

Over the course of his decades-long career, Updike authored more than 25 novels, including the Rabbit series. He also penned short stories, poems, essays and a memoir. Originally broadcast in 1989.

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The Ladies-In-Waiting By Javier Olivares and Santiago García

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Arts

Mirrors And Neck Ruffs: A Graphic Novel Takes On Velázquez

7:00am August 30, 2017

by Etelka Lehoczky

Writer Santiago García and artist Javier Olivares examine Diego Velázquez' painting Las Meninas and its influence down the centuries with a heady — and sometimes heavy — mix of comics and high art.

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Arts

'My Absolute Darling' Is Hard To Read, Harder To Put Down

7:00am August 29, 2017

by Michael Schaub

Gabriel Tallent's devastating debut novel about a young girl and her abusive but charismatic father has memorable characters, the pacing of a thriller, and still manages to work in some light moments.

The Consequences Of Anti-Vaccination In 'Keep You Safe'

7:58am August 27, 2017

Host A Martinez talks with Melissa Hill about her new novel, Keep You Safe, a story which takes on the heated topic of childhood vaccinations and the tragic repercussions of a parent's decision.

'Ghost Of The Innocent Man': A Story Of 24 Years Of Wrongful Imprisonment

7:58am August 27, 2017

A Martinez interviews Willie Grimes, who spent 24 years in prison, wrongly accused of rape, and Benjamin Rachlin, who chronicles his fight for exoneration in Ghost of the Innocent Man.

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Arts

'If The Creek Don't Rise' Traces Webs Of Hurt And Help

7:00am August 27, 2017

by Maya Rodale

Leah Weiss' debut novel — set in a remote Appalachian town — has a strong sense of place and a richly drawn cast of characters, all with their own voices, stories and interconnected relationships.

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Arts

Love And Cruelty Are Bound Together In 'My Absolute Darling'

2:15pm August 26, 2017

by Scott Simon

Gabriel Tallent's debut novel has been called a masterpiece on the level of To Kill a Mockingbird. It's the difficult story of a young girl living in the California woods with her abusive father.

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Arts

Subtle, Brilliant 'Stay With Me' Blends The Personal And The Political

10:00am August 26, 2017

by Lizzie Skurnick

Ayobami Adebayo's debut novel follows a young Nigerian couple struggling to conceive and caught between modern medicine and the traditional remedies — like a new wife — pushed by older relatives.