Books

Books

Encore: 'Peach Blossom Spring' interrogates the meaning of home

4:16pm August 31, 2022

In this encore presentation, NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Melissa Fu about her debut novel Peach Blossom Spring, a multigenerational story of war and migration inspired by her father's life.

Chautauqua has a strict set of zoning restrictions aimed at preserving the Victorian look of the community. Though many do, visitors don't have to attend cultural events. If they want they can bicycle, swim or play lawn games.

Chautauqua Institution re-examines security after Salman Rushdie attack

9:43am August 31, 2022

by Jim Zarroli

When the author was attacked earlier this month, he was taking the stage at New York's Chautauqua Institution. The storied place in American cultural life is now rethinking how open it should be.

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'I'm Not Broken' is about being broken — and building a new life

5:13am August 31, 2022

by Gabino Iglesias

A sad, brutally honest memoir about "a poor, sexually abused, drug-addicted Chicano kid," Jesse Leon's narrative is one that vividly brings to the page the realities of someone ignored by the system.

Books

When is nice too nice? One author explores that question in her new book

4:05pm August 30, 2022

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with author Mia Mercado about her new book She's Nice Though, which explores why women, in particular, feel the need to perform niceness in so many situations.

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Arts

'Diary of a Misfit' blends reportage, research and memoir

10:45am August 30, 2022

by Ilana Masad

Washington Post reporter Casey Parks' first book, Diary of a Misfit: A Memoir and a Mystery, follows her attempts to uncover Roy Hudgins' story while rediscovering her own along the way.

5 translated books from Japan to soothe battered souls this fall

9:06am August 30, 2022

by Yurina Yoshikawa

A growing number of translated Japanese books have been released in the U.S. in recent years. There there are more than a dozen coming out this fall alone — including titles by emerging writers.

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Arts

Gen Z is driving sales of romance books to the top of bestseller lists

9:31am August 29, 2022

For months, Colleen Hoover and Emily Henry have occupied multiple spots on the New York Times paperback trade fiction bestsellers list. The success of these romance writers has been aided by Gen Z.

Bridge of Guys: Daemon (Matt Smith) cradles a dragon egg in House of the Dragon.

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In 'House of the Dragon' episode 2, two royal heirs stand off, and one stands down

10:00pm August 28, 2022

by Glen Weldon

In the second episode of HBO's 'Game of Thrones' prequel, Daemon makes a play, Rhaenyra wins the day, and Viserys gets the final say.

Books

'Diary of a Void' turns a lie into an exploration of motherhood and loneliness

7:59am August 28, 2022

by Andrew Limbong

In the book "Diary of a Void," a woman fakes pregnancy to avoid the unpaid office tasks often foisted on women. The simple lie turns into an absurdist exploration of motherhood and loneliness.

Books

Books We Love: Recommended reading for nonfiction

7:59am August 28, 2022

NPR's Books We Love includes dozens of recommendations for new books. Today, we hear about "The Last Slave Ship," "The Power Law," and "The Letters of Oscar Hammerstein."