Books

"War" by Touka Neyestani: Neyestani received a degree in architecture from Tehran's Science and Industry University, and has been a cartoonist for more than 30 years.

Iran's Political Scene Is Sketchy For Cartoonists

12:32pm May 01, 2013

by NPR Staff

Political cartoons have a long history in Iran and give voice to critics of the authoritarian regime. Lately cartoonists have been increasingly persecuted for their work. A recent book, Sketches of Iran, pairs 40 political essays with cartoons depicting life in Iran today.

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Tulip tree in Alley Pond Park, Queens, taken on Nov. 4, 2005. When it was last measured, it stood 134 feet tall.

New York: A Concrete Jungle And 'City Of Trees,' Too

8:26pm April 30, 2013

by Margot Adler

People generally don't associate trees with New York City, and if they do, they tend to think only of Central and Prospect parks. But the city is filled with old, beloved trees, some dating back more than 200 years, many of them located in the unsung outer boroughs.

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Marc Maron, whose latest book is Attempting Normal, is also the author of The Jerusalem Syndrome: My Life As a Reluctant Messiah.

Books
Arts

Marc Maron: A Life Fueled By 'Panic And Dread'

2:15pm April 29, 2013

The comedian turned his life around when he started "WTF with Marc Maron" out of his garage in 2009. He has parlayed the popularity of the podcast into a new television show called Maron, based on his life, as well as a new memoir.

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Brother and sister Rod Dreher and Ruthie Leming grew up in a small town in rural Louisiana. Dreher left the tightknit community to pursue a journalism career but returned home after Leming died of lung cancer in 2010.

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Arts

A Grieving Brother Finds Solace In His Sister's 'Small Town'

12:21pm April 29, 2013

by Debbie Elliott

Philadelphia journalist and author Rod Dreher moved back to his hometown in Louisiana after his sister died there in 2010, and adopted the community she left behind. His experiences led to the book The Little Way of Ruthie Leming: A Southern Girl, a Small Town, and the Secret of a Good Life.

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The Summer of Beer and Whiskey by Edward Achorn.

Hard Hits, Hard Liquor In 'The Summer of Beer and Whiskey'

6:13pm April 27, 2013

by NPR Staff

In the 1880s, it took a German immigrant to change America's pastime forever. Chris Von der Ahe founded the St. Louis Browns and later helped form a new baseball league. Author Edward Achorn recalls baseball's early days in his new book.

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David Sedaris's new book is called Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls.

Books
Arts

'Let's Explore': David Sedaris On His Public Private Life

7:43pm April 25, 2013

The best-selling author and humorist has kept journals for 36 years. Those diaries have been the jumping-off point for the personal essays that appear in his collections, including Me Talk Pretty One Day and now Let's Explore Diabetes With Owls.

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Books
Arts

'Equilaterial': Martians, Oil And A Hole In The Desert

10:08am April 25, 2013

by Maureen Corrigan

Ken Kalfus' new novel about an astronomer obsessed with attracting the attention of Martians appears at first to be an homage to the scientific romances of H.G. Wells and the lost-world sagas of H. Rider Haggard. As the novel develops, however, its unique social commentaries emerge.

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'Zoobiquity': What Humans Can Learn From Animal Illness

11:05am April 24, 2013

Animals and humans have a lot in common, including some of the health problems that plague them. In her book Zoobiquity, Dr. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz explores how studying animal illness — from cancer to sexual dysfunction — can help us better understand human health.

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Newsreader in front of television camera.

Books
Arts

For TV Networks, Stiff Competition To Be 'Top Of The Morning'

3:05pm April 23, 2013

by NPR Staff

Shows like Good Morning America and the Today show can have a big impact on a broadcast network's image and bottom line. NPR's David Greene speaks with media reporter Brian Stelter about Top of the Morning, his new book about the high-stakes world of morning TV.

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The Friedkin Connection by William Friedkin.

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Arts

Friedkin, Who Pushed Film Forward, Looks Back

1:08pm April 23, 2013

by Susan Stamberg

In his memoir The Friedkin Connection, the legendary director of films like The Exorcist and The French Connection recounts his journey from a poor Chicago neighborhood to the apex of Hollywood success.

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