The Surprising Story Of 'Thomas Jefferson's Qur'an'
Author Denise Spellberg's book draws parallels between the beliefs of the founding father and religious tolerance in the United States today.
Author Interviews
Parenting A Child Who's Fallen 'Far From The Tree'
Andrew Solomon's book is about families with children who are profoundly different or likely to be stigmatized. "We all love flawed children," says Solomon, "and the general assumption that these more extreme flaws make ... children somehow unlovable — it wasn't true of most of my experience."
Elizabeth Smart Says Kidnapper Was A 'Master At Manipulation'
Smart, who was held captive for nine months at age 14, describes the 2002 ordeal in a new memoir called My Story. She's now an advocate for children's safety education and says "the best punishment" she can give her abusers is to move on with her life and be happy.
In 'Egghead,' A New Shel: Burnham Takes On Silverstein
Bo Burnham got his start in comedy on the Internet rather than in clubs. He found fame on YouTube and parlayed millions of views into a thriving career. Now, he's turned to the printed page with Egghead: Or, You Can't Survive on Ideas Alone, a collection of comedic poetry modeled on Shel Silverstein.
40 Years Ago, 'Fear Of Flying' Showed Women Like Sex, Too
Back in 1973, Erica Jong was tired of the silent, seething housewife, so she introduced a new kind of female protagonist: one who loved sex and wasn't ashamed to admit it. Jong joins NPR's Susan Stamberg to talk about hook-ups, Fifty Shades of Gray, and of course, the "zipless f - - - ."
How Reddit Emerged From A Rejected (And Very Different) Idea
Alexis Ohanian is co-founder of the popular social news site Reddit. His new book, Without Their Permission, tells the story of the site, from startup to Internet giant.
Children's Author Takes On The Dreaded Itchy Head
A new book by award-winning illustrator and author David Shannon sheds light on an uncomfortable but universal problem — head lice. He talks to host Scott Simon about Bugs in My Hair.
'Thank You For Your Service' Follows America's Soldiers Home
Journalist David Finkel embedded with the 2-16 Infantry Battalion during the troop surge in Iraq, then recorded their stories in his first book, The Good Soldiers. Now, his new book chronicles the struggles of those who made it home, from their recurring nightmares and suicidal thoughts to the challenges of getting help.
On Eliot's 125th, His 'Waste Land' Hasn't Lost Its Glamour
This year marks the 125th birthday of Nobel Prize-winning poet T.S. Eliot. To celebrate, a re-issue of the first edition of his seminal poem has just been published, with an introduction by New Yorker poetry editor Paul Muldoon. NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Muldoon about the poem's lasting influence.
At 49, Jamie Moyer's Pitching Career Goes Into Extra Innings
In a new memoir called Just Tell Me I Can't Moyer explains how he became a better pitcher in his 40s than his 20s. Moyer's story isn't just the tale of a talented guy who hung on a little longer than others; with the help of a sports psychologist, he managed to gain control of the mental side of his game.