Books

Books

In 'Agatha Of Little Neon,' Four Young Nuns Go To Help Others, And Find Themselves

1:44pm July 31, 2021

Scott Simon speaks with Claire Luchette about their debut novel, "Agatha of Little Neon." It's the story of four young nuns who are reassigned to a half-way house in Rhode Island.

Books

'Being Clem' Is The Final Book In Lesa Cline-Ransome's 'Finding Langston' Trilogy

1:43pm July 31, 2021

"Being Clem," the final book in the YA "Finding Langston" trilogy, follows a young boy during World War II after his father is killed. Scott Simon talks with author Lesa Cline-Ransome about it.

Books
Arts

Feeling Lost? These 3 Fantasy Novels Will Help You Be The Hero Of Your Own Story

7:00am July 31, 2021

by Alethea Kontis

Sometimes books can be a literal escape, not just a figurative one. Our critic Alethea Kontis recommends three fantasy novels that helped her along the way as she escaped an abusive relationship.

Books
Arts

Monsters And Magic Run In The Family In These 2 YA Novels

5:00am July 31, 2021

by Caitlyn Paxson

Six Crimson Cranes and The River Has Teeth — two new July YA novels — both focus on monstrous mothers and folkloric family magic. But apart from that, they couldn't be more different.

Helen Hoang, author of The Kiss Quotient.

Author Helen Hoang Talks Sex, Autism And Freedom

5:30pm July 30, 2021

by Alyssa Jeong Perry

This summer, Code Switch is laser-focused on books that teach us about freedom. Today, we're in conversation with a romance novelist whose own identity helped inform a rich cast of characters.

Given The Choice Between Prison Life And Fighting Wildfires, These Women Chose Fire

5:24pm July 30, 2021

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with writer Jaime Lowe about her new book, Breathing Fire, which tells the stories of the incarcerated women who are part of California's wildfire crews.

Why Sweat Is A Human Superpower

1:53pm July 30, 2021

Sweat is an "evolutionary marvel," says Sarah Everts, the author of The Joy of Sweat. In her new book, Everts delves into the science of perspiration and how this trait has enabled humans to thrive.

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Books
Arts

1963 Novel 'The Stone Face' Has New Edition — And It Couldn't Be More Timely

1:42pm July 30, 2021

by John Powers

William Gardner Smith wrote the story of a Black writer who, like Smith himself, moved to Paris to pursue a freedom he couldn't find in America. New York Review Books is releasing a new edition.

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Clash, by Kayla Miller, Something Stinks! by Jonathan Fenske, and Maya and the Robot, by Eve L. Ewing

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Arts

These 3 Books Will Help Your Kids Get Over Their Summer Reading Blues

7:00am July 29, 2021

by Juanita Giles

You don't have to be an Olympian to hit a wall — by late July, nothing's exciting anymore, not even the blow-up pool. We've got three books that can help your kids get their reading groove back.

Books
Arts

David Bowie, Travis Scott Inspired The Poems In This New Collection

6:15am July 29, 2021

by Jeevika Verma

Poet Adrian Matejka used to be a DJ — and when he got stuck in pandemic-induced misery, it was music that lifted him up and helped him finish writing his latest book, Somebody Else Sold the World.