Books

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Christmas Comes Early (And That's Just Fine) In 'Ten Blind Dates'

10:00am October 05, 2019

by Alethea Kontis

It might seem early for a Christmas-themed book, but Ashley Elston's novel — about a girl whose overly involved family sets her up on a series of blind dates — is so delightful you won't mind.

Books

Clay McLeod Chapman On 'The Remaking'

8:01am October 05, 2019

NPR's Scott Simon talks to Clay McLeod Chapman about his new novel, The Remaking, a witch story that is retold over several generations.

Books

Zadie Smith Has An Eclectic Mix Of Short Stories In 'Grand Union'

8:01am October 05, 2019

by Lynn Neary

Grand Union is novelist Zadie Smith's first collection of short stories. It's an eclectic mix. Smith says writing short stories allowed her to experiment with form, style and genre.

The Secret Commonwealth, by Philip Pullman

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Philip Pullman Pushes The Limits Of His World In 'The Secret Commonwealth'

7:00am October 05, 2019

by Jessica P. Wick

The latest installment in Pullman's Book of Dust trilogy finds beloved heroine Lyra grown up and troubled, at odds with her daemon Pan and in danger from the plots swirling around her.

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Claire Tomalin Moves 'Between The Trivial And The Tragic' In 'A Life Of My Own'

1:45pm October 04, 2019

by Terry Gross

Literary biographer Tomalin tells of her conflicting desires to have children and to lead a meaningful working life in her memoir. Originally broadcast Sept. 12, 2018.

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Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind them All, by Laura Ruby

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There Are Wolves Beyond These 'Thirteen Doorways' — But Also A Whole World

10:00am October 04, 2019

by Caitlyn Paxson

Laura Ruby's new young adult novel, set just during the Depression, follows a young girl and her sister who are trying to survive a stark orphanage — and attracting the attention of its local ghost.

The Seventh Voyage, by Jon J. Muth and Stanislaw Lem

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Arts

'The Seventh Voyage' Takes A Grand Journey In A Tiny Spaceship

7:00am October 04, 2019

by Etelka Lehoczky

Graphic novelist and illustrator Jon J. Muth's dreamy paintings expand the scope of Stanislaw Lem's story about an astronaut in a cramped one-man spaceship, who finds himself stuck in a time loop.

Books

Lauren Groff Is On A Mission To Remember Nancy Hale With 'Where The Light Falls'

5:29pm October 03, 2019

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with writer Lauren Groff about a collection of short stories she edited by Nancy Hale. Hale died in 1988.

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Government contractors erect a section of a Pentagon-funded border wall along the Colorado River in Yuma, Ariz., on Sept. 10.

From Snakes To Spikes, Reporters Reveal Trump's Extreme Border Proposals

1:38pm October 03, 2019

by Terry Gross

Border Wars authors Julie Hirschfeld Davis and Michael Shear chronicle the president's attempts to upend the nation's immigration system — including a proposed alligator-filled border trench.

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The Man Who Played with Fire: Stieg Larsson's Lost Files and the Hunt for an Assassin, by Jan Stocklassa and translated by Tara F. Chace.

In 'The Man Who Played With Fire,' Stieg Larsson Is Brought To Life Again

1:03pm October 03, 2019

by Ilana Masad

The author of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo had long been investigating the death of Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme. Journalist Jan Stocklassa convincingly and humbly picks up where he left off.