Books

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Arts

A Haunting Home Movie Inspired Lois Lowry To Write 'On The Horizon'

7:20am April 12, 2020

by Samantha Balaban

The film, made in 1939 or 1940, shows Lowry as a child playing on the beach, with a ship in the distance. She later learned it was the USS Arizona, which sank during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

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In Cesar Aira's Latest, 'Artforum' Has A Magic Beyond The Page

7:00am April 12, 2020

by Kamil Ahsan

Aira's oddball new novella chronicles his love affair with the magazine Artforum, to which he ascribes almost magical qualities. It's a giddy, self-indulgent but delightful read.

Books

Interview With 'The System' Author

4:52pm April 11, 2020

NPR's Tom Gjelten speaks with Robert Reich, professor of public policy at UC Berkeley and former U.S. Secretary of Labor, about his new book The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It.

Alan Zweibel chronicles four decades of comedic collaborations in his new memoir Laugh Lines.

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Arts

It's 'Alchemy': Alan Zweibel Explains How He Helps 'Funny People Be Funnier'

11:41am April 11, 2020

by Elizabeth Blair

Zweibel began writing for Borscht Belt comics in 1972, earning $7 per joke. His memoir Laugh Lines chronicles four decades of comedic collaborations with some of the biggest names in the business.

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Meet Me at Midnight, by Jessica Pennington

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'Meet Me At Midnight' For A Lively Summer Romp

10:00am April 11, 2020

by Alethea Kontis

None of us are likely to have a glorious summer this year — but crack open Jessica Pennington's new Meet Me at Midnight and follow the charming enemies-to-lovers story, and you'll get close.

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Karin Tanabe's 'A Hundred Suns' Explores Indochina Of The 1930s

7:21am April 11, 2020

This isn't Tanabe's first historical novel; the former Politico reporter wrote "The Diplomat's Daughter" and "The Gilded Years." NPR's Scott Simon spoke with Tanabe about her latest work.

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Arts

Set 1,500 Years From Now, 'The Last Emperox' Is Still Pretty Timely

7:21am April 11, 2020

by Scott Simon

In the last installment of Scalzi's Interdependency trilogy, a ruler must fight to save a galactic empire threatened by greed, complacency and the collapse of vital resources. Sound familiar?

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Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know, by Samira Ahmed

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In 'Mad, Bad & Dangerous,' Romantic Sleuths Uncover A Byronic Secret

7:00am April 11, 2020

by Caitlyn Paxson

Samira Ahmed's new novel bounces between two timelines, following a Muslim American art student in Paris, and the mysterious harem woman she believes inspired work by Lord Byron and his circle.

5 Art Assignments To Keep You Busy At Home

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Arts

5 Easy Art Projects To Enjoy During Social Distancing

9:25am April 10, 2020

by LA Johnson

Sarah Urist Green, creator of PBS' The Art Assignment, walks through five fun art projects that don't require fancy supplies or talent to create and enjoy.

How Much of These Hills is Gold, by C Pam Zhang

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Arts

In 'How Much Of These Hills Is Gold,' This Land Is Not Your Land

7:00am April 10, 2020

by Annalisa Quinn

C Pam Zhang's debut novel follows a brother and sister, children of Chinese laborers, as the search the dusty hills of Gold Rush-era California for a place to bury their father's body.