Book News & Features

Books

Young Adult Fiction Uses Myths To Keeps Traditional Storytelling Alive

7:57am May 14, 2017

Greek, Roman and Viking myths have always been perfect for teenagers — they're all id! — so NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro gets recommendations for new books using them as source material.

The cover artwork for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Harry Potter And The Burgled Prequel: Rare, Handwritten Copy Stolen In U.K.

10:24am May 12, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

The 800-word prequel, which was scrawled on a postcard by J.K. Rowling herself, went missing from a property after a burglary in mid-April. Now, Rowling and the police are calling on fans to help.

Eric "Bitty" Bittle takes to the ice in "Check Please," one of the most popular hockey webcomics (yes, that's a thing).

Books
Arts

With 'Check Please,' A Comics Creator Rewrites The Rules — And Scores

5:15pm May 11, 2017

by Neda Ulaby

Bitty Bittle is a gay college hockey star who loves making pies. He's the main character in the popular hockey webcomic "Check Please," created by Ngozi Ukazu — who incidentally cannot skate.

Queue Listen Now

Former President Bill Clinton gestures to the crowd during a campaign stop in Philadelphia for his wife, Hillary, on the day before the 2016 presidential election.

Books
Arts

Beware The Twist! Bill Clinton Plans To Pen A Thriller With James Patterson

2:42pm May 08, 2017

by Colin Dwyer

The former president and fiction titan foisted a surprise on readers Monday, announcing they'll be releasing a novel named The President Is Missing in June 2018.

The crowd's got issues: Staff and customers at L.A.'s Golden Apple Comics on Free Comic Book Day in 2014.

Books
Arts

A Guide To Free Comic Book Day 2017: The Don't-Misses And The Near-Misses

12:26pm May 05, 2017

by Glen Weldon

Headed to a comics shop for Free Comic Book Day this Saturday? Take along Glen Weldon's exhaustive guide to all 52 FCBD free comics available.

Life in 16 bits — complete with chickens and monsters — in Stardew Valley.

Arts

Reading The Game: Stardew Valley

10:00am April 29, 2017

by Jason Sheehan

Our occasional series on storytelling in video games travels to Pelican Town to explore the bucolic pleasures of Stardew Valley, a farming simulator inspired by the classic 1990s Harvest Moon games.

Fortified dwelling and open air banquet, detail from a mosaic portraying a Nilotic landscape from El Alia, Tunisia. Roman Civilisation, 2nd century. Musée National Du Bardo (Archaeological Museum)

What Did Ancient Romans Eat? New Novel Serves Up Meals And Intrigue

10:10am April 28, 2017

by Kristen Hartke

In ancient Rome, food was a bargaining chip for position for slaves and nobles alike. At the center of Feast Of Sorrow is real-life nobleman Apicius, who inspired the oldest surviving cookbook.

Books
Arts

Paula Hawkins Prepares To Dive 'Into The Water'

9:24am April 28, 2017

by Petra Mayer

Author Paula Hawkins was down on her luck when her 2015 book The Girl on the Train became a smash hit. Now she's grappling with success and preparing to launch her followup, Into the Water.

Queue Listen Now

Books
Arts

'Janesville' Looks At A Factory Town After The Factory Shuts Down

5:53pm April 23, 2017

Washington Post reporter Amy Goldstein talks about her book Janesville: An American Story, that's about a factory town in Wisconsin that lost its lifeblood when its factory shut down.

Former House Speaker and 2012 Republican Party presidential candidate Newt Gingrich autographs a copy of his book at a campaign event in Georgetown, S.C., in 2012. Gingrich published with conservative publishing house Regnery Publishing.

Trump's Win Changed The Game For Publishers On The Left And The Right

10:36am April 13, 2017

by Lynn Neary

For years, conservative publishers thrived as their readers flocked to books aimed directly at taking down the party in power. Now, with Republicans in control, they have to rethink their strategy.

Queue Listen Now