Book News & Features

A poster advertises a stage adaptation of Sherlock Holmes, starring actor William Gillette in 1899.

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Sherlock's Expiring Copyright: It's Public Domain, Dear Watson

9:53am January 08, 2014

by NPR Staff

The famous sleuth has discovered that U.S copyright law is anything but elementary. A federal judge recently ruled that elements of the Sherlock Holmes characters are now both licensed property of the Doyle estate and in the public domain. The Doyle estate plans to appeal the decision.

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Don't Call It Fanfic: Writers Rework Their Favorite Stories

12:43pm December 27, 2013

by Lynn Neary

When writers finish a book, they may think they've had the last word — but sometimes another writer will decide there's more to the story, or more to a background character. NPR's Lynn Neary explores the fine old literary tradition of writing new stories based on existing books.

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A London Cabbie's Guide To Lit Gifts

7:31am November 30, 2013

Will Grozier, the incredibly well-read London cabbie, joins host Scott Simon to help tick through shopping lists with book recommendations for all sorts of family members and friends.

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It Still Isn't Easy, But Independent Bookstores Are Doing Better

3:36pm November 27, 2013

by Wendy Kaufman

Despite intense competition from Amazon and big-box retailers, there are more independent bookstores now than there were four years ago. Borders' bankruptcy, the "buy local" movement and cooperative publishers have all contributed to the renaissance.

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Thanksgivukkah Stress Getting You Down? Here's A Literary Escape Plan

7:13pm November 26, 2013

by Maureen Corrigan

For critic Maureen Corrigan, this year's hybrid family holiday may be best celebrated by escaping into a book. Her recommendations include a kids' book about Russian Jews who identify with the Pilgrims, and a novel that contemplates class divides during wartime through the lens of a football game.

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Judge: Google's Book Copying Doesn't Violate Copyright Law

10:49am November 15, 2013

by Laura Sydell

Google has prevailed in a long-running lawsuit over the millions of books the company has digitally scanned without permission from authors and publishers. A U.S. Circuit Court judge has ruled that it's "fair use" when Google scans portions of books for public to use.

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Agatha Christie's Lost 1954 Work Sold As eBook

8:15am November 12, 2013

Agatha Christie wrote Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folly, to help her church raise funds for stained glass windows. It's about a parlor game of murder.

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Barnes & Noble is one of several stores that have refused to carry Amazon Publishing's books.

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Brick-And-Mortar Bookstores Play The Print Card Against Amazon

5:24am October 31, 2013

by Lynn Neary

When Amazon revamped its publishing wing, a lot of booksellers said enough is enough: They refused to stock Amazon Publishing's books, and Barnes & Noble followed suit. Now, with the departure of a star talent and some book releases that fell flat, many say Amazon Publishing may in trouble.

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One Way For An Indie Bookstore To Last? Put Women 'First'

5:59pm October 27, 2013

by Cheryl Corley

Women and Children First has weathered more than three decades of competition from chain stores and online booksellers to become one of the largest feminist bookstores in the U.S. Now, the Chicago store is among the few of its kind left standing — and it's on the hunt for new ownership.

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J.D. Salinger wrote nine letters and postcards to aspiring Canadian writer Marjorie Sheard.

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Pen Pal Of Young 'Jerry' Salinger May Have Been First To Meet Holden

9:47am October 25, 2013

by Susan Stamberg

From 1941 to 1943, J.D. Salinger exchanged letters with a young, aspiring writer in Toronto named Marjorie Sheard. The letters predate Catcher in the Rye, but Sheard may have been one of the first people to learn about its eventual protagonist, Holden Caulfield. Sheard's letters from Salinger are on display at the Morgan Library in New York.

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