Book News & Features

"From the Desk of Simone de Beauvoir" invites visitors to sit down and explore a replica of the French feminist's desk.

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Arts

Imagine What It Was Like To Sit Down At Simone De Beauvoir's Desk

11:31am May 16, 2017

by Susan Stamberg

"One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman," wrote the pioneering French feminist. The National Museum of Women in the Arts invites visitors to explore a replica of her cozy, cluttered workspace.

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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).

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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'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.