Books

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) will take over as Senate majority leader in the new term in January.

Sen. Mitch McConnell's Political Life, Examined, In 'The Cynic'

4:35pm November 20, 2014

When journalist Alec MacGillis started looking into McConnell's early politics, he says he was "startled" by how moderate the Republican used to be. The book traces McConnell's shift to the right.

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Arts

'Redeployment' Explores Iraq War's Physical And Psychic Costs

3:09pm November 20, 2014

In his short story collection, former Marine Phil Klay takes his experience in Iraq and clarifies it. On Wednesday, he won the National Book Award for fiction.

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One of America's favorite bites: the hotdog. Here, a man and women enjoy the dogs at a California fair in 1905.

A Journey Through The History Of American Food In 100 Bites

11:37am November 20, 2014

by NPR Staff

Thomas Jefferson loved macaroni and cheese so much he brought it home to Virginia from Europe. The American Plate reveals these and other stories behind America's most beloved foods.

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Neil Gaiman, left, and Ursula K. Le Guin attend the 2014 National Book Awards, where Le Guin was recognized, on Wednesday in New York City.

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Arts

'Redeployment,' 'Age Of Ambition' Win National Book Awards

9:12am November 20, 2014

by NPR Staff

The veteran-penned short story collection and the nonfiction look at modern China and its citizens joined youth literature winner Brown Girl Dreaming and poetry winner Faithful and Virtuous Night.

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Get To Know The Finalists For The 2014 National Book Award

5:57pm November 19, 2014

by NPR Staff

On Tuesday night, finalists for the National Book Awards read from their nominated works at The New School in New York City. The National Book Foundation will announce the winners Wednesday night.

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'Unspeakable' Gives Voice To Things We All Think, But Don't Say

3:12pm November 19, 2014

by Tomas Hachard

Meghan Daum's essay collection is intensely personal, but also universal. Critic Tomas Hachard says that on a deep level, it's about the process of growing up and deciding whether to conform or rebel.

Books
Arts

Norman Lear Looks Back On His Long Life In 'Even This I Get To Experience'

3:35pm November 18, 2014

Lear, who co-created All In The Family, has written a new memoir at the age of 92. He tells Fresh Air about getting involved in politics and how his storylines addressed subjects like racism.

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Arts

A 'Garden' Full Of Dazzling, Whimsical Tales

10:51am November 18, 2014

by Jason Heller

Young Woman in a Garden brings together 24 previously published short stories by the fantasy fabulist Delia Sherman. Reviewer Jason Heller says it's full of dazzle and heart, with a dark edge.

Vape was chosen as the word of the year for 2014 in part because it provides a window "onto how we define ourselves," says Casper Grathwohl of the Oxford University Press. Here, women exhale vapor clouds during a competition at the Henley Vaporium in Manh

Take It In: 'Vape' Is The Oxford Dictionaries Word Of The Year

10:28am November 18, 2014

by Bill Chappell

The growing popularity of e-cigarettes sparked the notice of the Oxford Dictionaries, which chose "vape" as the word of the year for 2014. It beat out contenders such as "bae" and "normcore."

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Amateur cook and writer Maureen Evans has perfected the art of tweeting a recipe in 140 characters or less.

Books

Tweet In The Holiday With Recipes On Twitter

4:54pm November 17, 2014

by NPR Staff

Test your ability to tweet a recipe in 140 characters or less. Amateur cook and writer Maureen Evans tells us how she manages to do that, and breaks down her code in her Twitter cookbook, Eat Tweet.

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