What College Freshmen Are Reading
Book programs for freshmen — or a whole campus or community — are meant to spark discussion and unity. This year's picks at nine U.S. schools range from memoirs to political advice from 64 B.C.
Books
Indie Bookseller Recommends 3 Vacation Reads
Nina Barrett, owner of Bookends and Beginnings in Evanston, Ill., recommends The Royal We by Heather Cox and Jessica Morgan, Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld and The Violet Hour by Katie Roiphe.
'Easy' Writer: Walter Mosley's Passion For Bringing Black LA Stories To Life
In Charcoal Joe, Mosley brings his iconic private eye Easy Rawlins into the haze of the late '60s, extending a literary odyssey through the transformation of black Los Angeles.
Remembering Tim LaHaye, Co-Author Of The Apocalyptic 'Left Behind' Series
LaHaye, who died earlier this week, was a fundamentalist Christian and a longtime leader of the religious right. His Left Behind books sold more than 50 million copies. He spoke to Fresh Air in 2002.
Not A Feminist? Caitlin Moran Asks, Why Not?
Moran says that most women who don't want to be called feminists don't understand the term. She writes about high heels, housework and abortion in How to Be a Woman. Originally broadcast Aug. 1, 2012.
How Can Success Still Make You Feel Like A Failure?
Writer Lidia Yuknavitch's early failures made her feel unworthy of success. Now, she says, those moments push her to find worth in herself as a writer.
'You Will Know Me' Says No, You Won't
Megan Abbott's novel about a talented young gymnast and her mother starts with a mysterious death, but the real mysteries are the characters themselves: You never really know the people close to you.
Walter Mosley On The Stories Of LA Told Through Easy Rawlins
In 1990, Walter Mosley first told the story of black postwar LA through Easy Rawlins, an Army vet turned private eye. It became Mosley's best-known series. He discusses Easy's creation and journey.
Writer James Alan McPherson, Winner Of Pulitzer, MacArthur And Guggenheim, Dies At 72
McPherson, the first African-American to win the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, has died at 72. His work explored the intersection of white and black lives with deftness, subtlety and wry humor.
Black Leadership In The Age Of Obama: A Look Back
PBS NewsHour co-anchor Gwen Ifill joins All Things Considered from the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, to discuss her 2009 book The Breakthrough. Ifill is re-examining the book's conclusions about black political leadership as President Obama prepares to leave office.