Books

NPR's Scott Simon speaks with author Amy Jo Burns about her debut novel, "Shiner," set in the West Virginia mountains.

In her new novel, Samanta Schweblin gives everyone in the world a little critter that's basically a Furby with a webcam — naturally, this does not end well, for the owners, the devices, or anyone.

The actor, who appeared in movie adaptations of the novel and its sequel trilogy, "The Lord of the Rings," says proceeds raised during the streaming event will benefit COVID-19 relief efforts.

The author of And Then They Stopped Talking To Me tells NPR, "I expected middle schoolers to be these sorts of monsters. And they weren't. They were just kids."

As a longtime Paris resident, at first I feared Dirt might be yet another expat tale of moving to France en famille, with all its tedious clichés. I should have known better.

At the height of his fame, Martin shifted his focus from stand-up to acting and writing. He called his memoir, Born Standing Up, a biography of "someone I used to know." Originally broadcast in 2008.

Now's the time for cheerful reads, so we've picked three — including Emma Straub's latest and two lively culinary memoirs — that'll help transport you to a happier place for a few hours.

Journalist Lawrence Wright learned a lot about pandemics for his new thriller — and he packs it all into sometimes-clunky dialogue. But right now, all that information is exactly what readers want.

Authors Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch prove gifted at providing essential context, including deftly painting a picture of 19th-century America and the prevailing attitudes toward race and politics.