'Armada' Sinks In A Sea Of Pop-Culture References
Ernest Cline's new novel follows a teen boy who discovers his favorite video game is real. But critic Tasha Robinson says Armada is light on plot and character.
Books
'ZeroZeroZero' Argues Cocaine Is Everywhere ... But Is It Really?
Roberto Saviano reports on the worldwide cocaine trade, from small-scale users to organized crime. Critic Tomas Hachard says that while the book is illuminating, it doesn't quite hit its mark.
Ta-Nehisi Coates Looks At The Physical Toll Of Being Black In America
Coates writes about race and social issues for The Atlantic. His new book, Between the World and Me, brings to bear his fear that his life and the lives of his loved ones might end unnaturally.
Residents Of Harper Lee's Hometown Celebrate 'Go Set A Watchman'
NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with Spencer Madrie, the owner of the Ol' Curiosities and Book Shoppe in downtown Monroeville, Ala., for the reaction to Harper Lee's latest book, Go Set a Watchman.
Ta-Nehisi Coates On Police Brutality, The Confederate Flag And Forgiveness
Growing up in Baltimore, the writer faced threats from both the streets and the police. His book, Between the World and Me, is an open letter to his teenage son.
Equal Parts Sarcasm, Silliness And Smarts In 'Let's Be Less Stupid'
Patricia Marx's comic memoir chronicles her four-month attempt to boost her brainpower. Critic Heller McAlpin says anyone clever enough to have written this book shouldn't worry about her brain.
'Cold Iron' Asks: What If Tolkien Had Been American?
Stina Leicht's novel melds Tolkienesque fantasy with muskets and gunpowder in a tale of elves at war with humans. Critic Amal El-Mohtar calls it "an impressively character-driven doorstop."
A Tribute To John Williams, The Man Who Wrote 'I Am'
The prolific author tackled difficult issues of race in novels and poetry. He used his writing to challenge assumptions about African-Americans, including civil rights hero Martin Luther King Jr.
French, English, Comics: Proust On Memory, In Any Language
Proust's famous novel Swann's Way is out in the form of — wait for it — a graphic novel. Glen Weldon explains how much of it is substance and how much is gimmick.
Harper Lee's 'Watchman' Is A Mess That Makes Us Reconsider A Masterpiece
Depending on whom you ask, Go Set a Watchman is either a recently discovered first draft of To Kill a Mockingbird — or a failed sequel. Either way, critic Maureen Corrigan calls it "kind of a mess."