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'Zombie Wars' Documents An Apocalypse Of Bad Decisions

12:06pm May 13, 2015

by Michael Schaub

Aleksandar Hemon's darkly hilarious new novel follows a sad-sack Chicago teacher whose screenwriting dreams lead to catastrophe. Critic Michael Schaub calls it "crazy in the best sense of the word."

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Exclusive First Read: Naomi Novik's 'Uprooted'

6:39pm May 12, 2015

by NPR Staff

Naomi Novik leaves behind the Napoleonic War setting of her previous books for a new stand-alone tale of a village girl, taken by a mysterious magician, who learns she's more than a match for him.

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The Artistry Fails In 'Trompe L'Oeil'

6:15pm May 12, 2015

by Michael Schaub

Even talented artists have trouble creating the illusions known as "trompe l'oeil." Critic Michael Schaub says Nancy Reisman's tragic new novel of the same name never jumps into three dimensions.

Photographer Sally Mann drives with her greyhound, Honey, in the early 2000s.

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Arts

Making Art Out Of Bodies: Sally Mann Reflects On Life And Photography

4:30pm May 12, 2015

Mann has published pictures that show her young children naked, her husband's muscular dystrophy and dead bodies decomposing. She reflects on her life and work in a new memoir called Hold Still.

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Chef, cookbook author and owner of Washington, D.C.'s Restaurant Nora, Nora Pouillon, in the restaurant's garden.

In 'Organic Life,' The Making Of America's First Certified Organic Restaurant

12:56pm May 12, 2015

by Lynn Neary

Nora Pouillon writes about her lifelong devotion to food in a new memoir, My Organic Life. Her restaurant has been a fixture in the Washington, D.C., food scene since 1979.

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Jerry Garcia's Advice To Bill Kreutzmann: 'Don't Rush'

8:22am May 12, 2015

by NPR Staff

"You can learn so much from [Jerry Garcia]. Doesn't matter what instrument you play," the Grateful Dead drummer says. He has a new memoir out called Deal.

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New Book Explores Bobby Fuller's Mysterious Death

9:00pm May 11, 2015

by Alex Cohen

A new book tells the story of Bobby Fuller, who was best-known for the song "I Fought the Law." He was a talented guitarist and producer who moved from El Paso, Texas, to LA. He was on the verge of his big break when his body was found in his car doused in gasoline. The Los Angeles police ruled it an accidental death.

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Astronomer Chris Impey examines the possibilities of the universe in his new book Beyond. "I like the idea that the universe — the boundless possibility of 20 billion habitable worlds — has led to things that we can barely imagine," he says. In the 19

The Great 'Beyond': Contemplating Life, Sex And Elevators In Space

4:53pm May 11, 2015

Astronomer Chris Impey discusses the future of space travel, sex in space and the connection between science and Buddhism. Impey is the author of Beyond: Our Future in Space.

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Unlike the comic talent stereotype, cartoonist Matthew Diffee says he had "a wonderful family to grow up with."

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For 'New Yorker' Cartoonist, '90 Percent Rejection Is Doing Great'

3:09pm May 11, 2015

by NPR Staff

It once took Matthew Diffee years of trying — and a push from his mom — to get one beloved cartoon in the magazine. Diffee's new collection is called Hand Drawn Jokes for Smart Attractive People.

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On pages 68-69 from Mark Danielewski's The Familiar, Volume 1, the main character Xanther looks out the window of her father's car during a rainy drive.

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Danielewski Returns With A Long, Sideways Look At 'The Familiar'

6:46am May 11, 2015

by NPR Staff

The author famous for the cult classic House of Leaves is writing a novel about a little girl who finds a kitten. The book is planned to be epic — 27 volumes total. Volume 1 is more than 800 pages.

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