Russian Hacking, Spies, Wikileaks: "Breaking Cover" Has A Lot In Common With The Week In Politics
Former M15 boss Dame Stella Rimington talks with Scott Simon about her new book, and her previous career in espionage.
Books
Dentist Protagonists In Literature
Last week on the show author Dave Eggers and Scott Simon agreed that they couldn't think of any protagonists in fiction who are dentists. This week we have a correction, and literary dentist readings.
'I'm Supposed To Protect You From All This' Is Memoir Fraught With Mystery
Nadja Spiegelman — daughter of graphic novelist Art Spiegelman and New Yorker art editor Françoise Mouly — has written a memoir about her mother, her grandmother, and their flawed family memories.
'Meat Cake Bible' Is Packed With Frills, Chills And ... Pez?
Graphic artist, fortuneteller, musician and mischief maker Dame Darcy published the comic Meat Cake from 1993 to 2008. This new compilation is packed full of all the things that obsessed her.
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.
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.