Chris Offutt Reveals A Family Secret In 'My Father, The Pornographer'
Offutt's late father went from running a small insurance agency to writing more than 400 books, mostly pornography. Originally broadcast March 2, 2015.
Books
How The Sad Puppies Won — By Losing
A group of conservative sci-fi fans and writers took over the Hugo Award nominations this year, then lost big when the actual awards were given out. But they still dominated the conversation.
Mom And Toddler Put Sleep-Inducing 'Rabbit' Book To The Test
Psychologist Carl-Johan Forssen Ehrlin designed his best-selling (and self-published) story The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep to help kids doze off. We visited a local naptime to see if it works.
'Latest Readings' Offers Buoyant Musings On A Lifetime Of Literature
Literary critic Clive James revisits the work of great writers such as Joseph Conrad, Ernest Hemingway, Shakespeare and others, subjecting each to the "finicky test of delight."
Authors' Garden Clippings Grow Students' Love Of Literature
High school English teacher Jennifer McQuillan spent the summer collecting clippings from the gardens of American authors. She's using them to plant a "literary garden" in her school's courtyard.
Exclusive First Read: 'The Shepherd's Crown' By Terry Pratchett
Return to the Discworld one more time in the late author's last novel, about young witch Tiffany Aching. Tiffany faced down the Queen of the Elves in her first adventure — but now the queen is back.
Do America's Military Bases Abroad Help Or Hinder Global Security?
David Vine's new book argues that the hundreds of U.S. bases in other countries come at a high cost, both at home and abroad. He suggests reducing such bases and increasing diplomatic engagement.
In WWII, Millions Of Indians Fought For A Britain They Abhored
As Indians struggled to break free of Britain, more than 2 million signed up to fight with the Allies, the largest volunteer force in the world. Raghu Karnad unearths the story in The Farthest Field.
In Richard Price's Latest Novel, Haunted Cops And Cases They Couldn't Close
Price says that in every precinct there's one cop who just can't let go of a case. "They all reminded me of Ahab ... looking for their whales," he says. Originally broadcast Feb. 17, 2015.
Capturing An Unknowable Writer In 'Love Song'
Author Tracy Daugherty's new biography of Joan Didion is an honest attempt to construct a coherent narrative about her — but critic Michael Schaub says it doesn't completely work.