Books

NPR Book Reviews

Eco-Friendly Books Explore The Literary Green
Reading words printed on dead trees doesn't automatically translate into saving the planet. But by encouraging us to reevaluate the world around us, these three books offer a vision of a different path forward.
Howard Engel: 'The Man Who Forgot How To Read'
Mystery writer Howard Engel woke up one morning terrified to find that he couldn't read the words in the newspaper. In his new memoir, Engel describes living with a rare condition called word blindness, which leaves him able to write, but unable to read.
Wikipedia Turns To Gutenberg-Era Tech
Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, is going to be printed in a hardcover edition. Beate Varnhorn, of Bertlesmann Lexicon, says the single-volume edition will be about 1,000 pages and carry around 50,000 most-requested entries and definitions.
Janis Ian Recounts Her Renegade Teen Years
Janis Ian wrote "Society's Child," a song about an interracial couple in the 1960s, when she was 15 years old, a song that she says everyone hated her for. In a new memoir, Ian recounts her life as an activist and musician.
What Happened To Kids Books?
Books inspired by PG-13 movies are taking over library shelves. Can See Iron Man Run really be good for young readers? Alex Cohen talks with Slate.com writer Erica Perl about the pros and cons of "fast-food lit."
Probing China's Changing Character
What happens when an entrenched culture suddenly opts for rapid change and the upheaval of centuries of cherished tradition? Maureen Corrigan finds some answers in two new works of nonfiction.
Identifying Who Survives Disasters — And Why
Time magazine reporter Amanda Ripley takes readers inside fires, floods and airplane crashes in The Unthinkable, a disquieting study of disaster psychology.
Smart, Sassy Heroines Pack A Literary Punch
You may not like her, but you do what she wants. She's a tough chick, a woman with sass and an instinct for survival. Brace yourself for these three books featuring heroines with attitude.
Soldier-Poet Brian Turner, Framing War In Verse
For soldier Brian Turner, words have the impact of bullets. His poems provide a first- person account of war; The New York Times praised their "attention to both the terrors and the beauty he found among Iraq's ruins."
Book Chronicles Nigeria's Oil 'Curse'
Nigeria is one of the top producers of oil in the world and a major supplier of oil to the United States. The book, Curse of the Black Gold, traces Nigeria's 50-year history of oil interests, featuring pictures by photojournalist Ed Kashi.
On The Brink: The Cuban Missile Crisis Revisited
Though much was made of the conflagration between John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev during the Cuban missile crisis, Michael Dobbs, author of One Minute to Midnight, says the two leaders were actually of like minds when it came to the threat of nuclear war.
New Story Collections Nourish And Astonish
Evan S. Connell, an old American master, and Claire Keegan, a young Irish prodigy, both have new books of short fiction this summer — and both are worth picking up.
Cool Heads Prevail In 'One Minute To Midnight'
In his thrilling postmortem of the Cuban missile crisis, Michael Dobbs reveals the role of tactical diplomacy — and luck — in ensuring a peaceful resolution to the Cold War standoff.
Interpreter Details Detention In 'My Guantanamo'
After the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Mahvish Rukhsana Khan — whose parents are Afghan immigrants — wanted to do something that would help both America and Afghanistan. She became an interpreter for lawyers representing detainees at Guantanamo Bay.
Dr. Dre's Mom Tells Of 'Long Road Outta Compton'
You may not know who Verna Griffin is. But you probably know her son — rapper and music producer, Andre "Dr. Dre" Young. She talks with Farai Chideya about her new memoir, Long Road Outta Compton, which details her turbulent childhood, failed marriages and her son's fame.

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