Author Interviews

Books
Arts

How Does Christoph Niemann Make Art Look Effortless? With A Lot Of Work

6:21pm October 31, 2016

by NPR Staff

The artist and illustrator says that behind every fun, whimsical sketch there are "100 very boring, unsexy steps." Niemann describes his creative process in his new book Sunday Sketching.

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"It's easier to sort of face the hard things in your life when you're not alone," says hospice chaplain Kerry Egan. "That's a big part of what a chaplain does, is she stays with you."

Hospice Chaplain Reflects On Life, Death And The 'Strength Of The Human Soul'

4:08pm October 31, 2016

Kerry Egan's job is to help dying people accept their own mortality. It's profoundly sad, but it's also rewarding. "I'm constantly reminded of ... how much love people have for each other," she says.

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Books
Arts

Film Critic Delves Into 60-Year 'Biography' Of Television

8:38am October 30, 2016

NPR's Rachel Martin speaks with David Thomson, author of "Television: A Biography" about TV's vast landscape and key moments in the medium's history.

Actor/comic Joel McHale speaks at a Los Angeles event in 2015.

Books
Arts

In 'Thanks For The Money,' Comedian Joel McHale Lampoons Celebrity Memoirs

8:29am October 30, 2016

by NPR Staff

McHale says the problem with the genre is a lot of celebrities don't have enough of a story to fill an entire book. ("My life certainly didn't.") So in Thanks for the Money, he makes stuff up.

Books
Arts

A Harrowing Tale Of Cold War Escape And Suppression In 'The Tunnels'

8:53am October 29, 2016

by NPR Staff

A new book explores a time in the early 1960s when two groups of diggers built tunnels under the Berlin Wall that were filmed and financed by U.S. television networks.

Anthony Bourdain spent decades in the restaurant business before discovering that he had a gift for writing and storytelling. His new cookbook, Appetites, features food he cooks for his 9-year-old daughter.

Books
Arts

In 'Appetites,' Bourdain Pleases The Toughest Food Critic (His 9-Year-Old)

7:33am October 28, 2016

Anthony Bourdain's new cookbook features comfort food he cooks for his young daughter. "She's who I need to please, and if she's not happy, I'm not happy," he says.

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The bounty of the earth is celebrated in the high rituals of pagans. (Above) A Wiccan priestess is silhouetted by the afternoon light. In the foreground are examples of Wiccan cooking for the vernal equinox: (clockwise from near right) beet-pickled eggs;

What The Real Witches Of America Eat

10:55pm October 26, 2016

by Nina Martyris

Nope. It's not eye of newt and toe of frog. But food — and its connection to dead loved ones — does play a starring role in the major Pagan holiday Samhain, which coincides with Halloween.

Gretzky grew up in Ontario, where he used to pretend to win the Stanley Cup in his backyard. "You're always dreaming that you're the guy that scores the game-winning goal," he says.

Wayne Gretzky On Hockey History, Dreaming Big And Canadian Pride

10:41am October 26, 2016

by NPR Staff

The ice hockey legend marks the 99th anniversary of the NHL with his new book 99: Stories of the Game. Never mind the sport's tough guy reputation; "the game of hockey is an art," Gretzky says.

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Books

At Daughter's Insistence, Bourdain Includes Ratatouille Recipe In 'Appetites'

10:06am October 25, 2016

For years, Anthony Bourdain was identified as a "bad boy" of the culinary world. The chef and TV host's new cookbook reflects his life as a dad. Renee Montagne talks to him about his book Appetites.

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Anne Carson's Poetry Collection 'Float' In Unconventional Medium To Suit The Message

8:36am October 22, 2016

Anne Carson's book of poems come in a clear plastic box where they 'float,' which is also the title of her new collection. NPR's Scott Simon talks with the poet about her work.