In A Dark Time, The Eye Begins to See: A 2016 Poetry Preview
2016 brings with it an exciting crop of poetry books. Here are our picks for the best verse of the new year.
Books
George R.R. Martin Admits 'Winter' Isn't Coming — At Least, Not For A While
The writer says he missed an end-of-year deadline to finish Winds of Winter, the sixth book in the Game of Thrones series. The delay means the show will air the next season before its source material.
Absorbing Mystery Novel Offers A Glimpse Into Mormon Utah
The second mystery by Mette Ivie Harrison boasts details about contemporary Mormon life that most of us aren't privy to. NPR's Karen Grigsby Bates says His Right Hand is is her "one that got away."
Fresh Air Weekend: Our Critics Pick The Best TV, Books, Movies And Music Of 2015
David Bianulli picks the best TV shows of the year. Short books dominate Maureen Corrigan's best book list. David Edelstein recommends the year's best films. Ken Tucker assesses the best music of '15.
Authors Of 'All American Boys' Talk About How Book Has Sparked Race Discussion
In All American Boys, a video of a policeman beating a black student goes viral. The book's authors, Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, talk about how their story is sparking conversations about race.
Charlie Hebdo, The Licensed Anarchist Clowns Of French Society
NPR's Scott Simon talks with Adam Gopnik, who wrote the foreword to Open Letter, a manifesto by Stephane Charbonnier, the editor of Charlie Hebdo who was killed when gunmen attacked the paper's offices.
Harlan Ellison Returns With A 'Can'tankerous' New Collection
The sci-fi legend is America's national curmudgeon — and his rage, humor and a little sadness are all on display in a new collection of short pieces, interspersed with thoughts about his 2014 stroke.
'Mein Kampf' Enters Public Domain; Arguably, Anne Frank's Diary May, Too
European rights to the two stark Holocaust artifacts may both expire on Friday. Reprints of Hitler's manifesto have been received warily; the legal case around Frank's diary is significantly murkier.
With 'Sophia,' A Forgotten Suffragette Is Back In The Headlines
We get hundreds of books in the mail every week, and some always fall through the cracks. NPR's Petra Mayer singles out a biography of a Sikh princess turned suffragette for a second look.
'Shame And Wonder' Is Light On Shame, Heavy On Wonder
David Searcy's essay collection finds the marvelous in everything from classic cars to Scrooge McDuck. Though it lacks some leavening humor, it's a lovely argument for approaching the world with awe.