Books

Books
Arts

'Angola Janga' Tells The Story Of Brazil's Runaway Slave Communities

7:00am June 16, 2019

by Etelka Lehoczky

Marcelo D'Salete's powerful graphic novel chronicles the mocambos, communities of runaway slaves that flourished in the jungles of 17th century Brazil, and all the lives they touched, slave and free.

Fred Bass, who passed away in 2018, and his daughter Nancy Bass Wyden sort used books at the Strand Bookstore on Feb. 21, 2007.

New York City And The Strand Bookstore Are Not On The Same Page

5:59pm June 15, 2019

by Josh Axelrod

Nancy Bass Wyden, the Strand's owner, is protesting New York City's decision to preserve the bookstore as a historic city landmark. She thinks the move will hurt, not help her business.

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Leon Klinghoffer And The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict In 'An Innocent Bystander'

7:58am June 15, 2019

NPR's Scott Simon talks to author Julie Salamon about her new book, An Innocent Bystander. It's about the murder of Leon Klinghoffer.

Fleishman Is in Trouble by Taffy Brodesser-Akner

Books
Arts

'Fleishman Is In Trouble': A Debut About Divorce, Dating And Disappearance

7:58am June 15, 2019

by Scott Simon

One day, Toby Fleishman's ex-wife drops off the kids and disappears. Author Taffy Brodesser-Akner says too many people are "locked into" marriage; her new novel explores wedlock, and what comes after.

Tell Me How You Really Feel, by Aminah Mae Safi

Books
Arts

In 'Tell Me How You Really Feel,' A Touching, TV-Inspired Love Story

7:00am June 15, 2019

by Alethea Kontis

Aminah Mae Safi's new young adult novel is rooted in a famous plot arc from the television show Gilmore Girls — but you don't have to be a fan to enjoy this dense, fulfilling love story.

The U.S. flag stands alone on the surface of the moon.

As The 50th Anniversary Of Apollo 11 Nears, New Books Highlight The Mission's Legacy

2:48pm June 14, 2019

by Adam Frank

These works make apparent how singular an achievement America's moon landing was — and show that half a century later we're still grappling to understand its long-term meaning.

Books
Arts

Essayist Breaks Free From Conventional Relationships In 'Because I Love You'

2:22pm June 14, 2019

by Dave Davies

Tim Kreider says the longest relationship of his adult life was with the stray cat. He writes about that relationship and others in his essay collection. Originally broadcast Feb. 26, 2018.

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Norco '80: The True Story of the Most Spectacular Bank Robbery in American History by Peter Houlahan

'Norco '80' Is A Gripping Account Of One Of America's Most Notorious Bank Heists

10:37am June 14, 2019

by Michael Schaub

Peter Houlahan's account of the violent robbery and its aftermath is based on interviews with civilians, officers and robbers involved; his prose reads like a crime novel in the best way possible.

Books
Arts

'Call Your Daughter Home' Has Deep Roots In Real Life

7:00am June 14, 2019

by Jean Zimmerman

Television producer Deb Spera draws on her childhood in rural Branchville, S.C. in her first novel, painting a bleak, atmospheric portrait of three women's lives in the South during the 1920s.

What An NPR Correspondent Learned By Working As A Taxi Driver In Shanghai

5:41pm June 13, 2019

by Frank Langfitt

NPR's Mary Louise Kelly talks with Frank Langfitt about his new book, Shanghai Free Taxi. It's born out of a project he started to meet ordinary Chinese citizens as a correspondent for NPR.

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