feeds - NPR - book of the day

home | feeds |donate

NPR - book of the day

Today's very best writing in a snackable, skimmable, pocket-sized podcast.

in 'the unveiling,' a disastrous cruise becomes an opportunity for cultural reckoning

deborah willis on her seminal history of black photography, reissued 25 years later

in ‘best offer wins,’ an ambitious millennial is driven mad by the homebuying process

revisiting frank herbert’s ‘dune’

in new novels, marriages are tested by a last request and a moment in the spotlight

abby phillip’s 'a dream deferred' chronicles jesse jackson’s rise to political esteem

'the devil is a southpaw' is a story within a story — or so its narrator says

john fetterman on his new memoir, his mental health, and disagreements with his party

a new book looks to the writings of renaissance-era nuns for advice on life today

revisiting ‘their eyes were watching god’

a claire mccardell biography and an ai sci-fi are among npr’s top book picks of 2025

'my cambodia: a khmer cookbook' is nite yun’s love letter to food and family

'we were liars' author returns for more teenage catharsis in 'we fell apart'

comic journalist joe sacco on his portrait of deadly riots in uttar pradesh, india

justinian huang’s new novel follows a taiwanese-american family intent on a male heir

revisiting ‘gone girl’

'the ten year affair,' 'sex of the midwest' look at the role of sex in domestic life

'fire in every direction' is a personal work by palestinian scholar tareq baconi

kathy iandoli on gucci mane’s memoir and becoming the go-to writer for rappers

'bog queen' cherishes earth’s mossy wetlands and the bodies they preserve

margaret atwood on what finally made her agree to write a memoir

revisiting ‘giovanni's room’

music biographies 'the cars,' 'only god can judge me' balance greatness and tragedy

john grisham brings a money-hungry lawyer to center stage in 'the widow'

in 'a guardian and a thief,' a mother’s love for her family threatens her own morals

tochi onyebuchi’s 'racebook' is a 'personal history' of a less serious time online

philip pullman’s new novel follows ‘the golden compass’ heroine into young adulthood

revisiting ‘the joy luck club’

reese witherspoon, harlan coben and chris kraus are out with new crime thrillers

these previously unpublished harper lee stories were discovered in her nyc apartment

in 'the eleventh hour,' salman rushdie writes about morality, revenge and ghosts

julian brave noisecat’s 'we survived the night' is part memoir, part native history

karine jean-pierre’s new memoir 'independent' explains why she left the democrats

revisiting charles portis’ true grit

stephen king on 'the shining' sequel and the novel he co-authored with his son

in 'the hacienda,' the protagonist is trapped in a haunted house – and her marriage

shirley jackson’s biographer on the writer’s ability to find evil in the ordinary

princeton professor susan wolfson on why we love 'frankenstein' two centuries later

'interview with the vampire' author anne rice takes npr on a tour of her haunted home

revisiting anne rice’s ‘interview with the vampire’

'paper girl' and 'joyride' are memoirs by journalists who get close to their subjects

this palestinian journalist kept a diary as israeli forces invaded – now it’s a book

a new james baldwin biography asks how the writer’s lovers might’ve shaped him

virginia giuffre’s posthumous memoir recounts abuse by epstein, maxwell and others

ken liu’s latest novel ‘all that we see or seem’ is speculative fiction about ai

ken liu’s latest novel ‘all that we see or seem’ is speculative fiction about ai

books we’ve loved: jane austen’s pride & prejudice, a blueprint to the modern romance

cookbooks 'house of nanking' and 'boustany' honor rich family legacies through food

'i am you' fictionalizes the story of a dutch golden age painter and her maid

'the persian' is a spy thriller written by former cia analyst david mccloskey

in her new memoir, jeannie vanasco gets 'a silent treatment' from her mom

'pick a color' is a novel that takes place over a single day at a nail salon

introducing: books we've loved

introducing: books we've loved

these new mystery novels are 'whodunits' that might as well be called 'whydunits'

in 'dream school,' jeff selingo wants parents to rethink what makes a ‘good’ college

for her latest novel, patricia lockwood says she wanted to write about confusion

mariana enriquez’s new book connects her interest in cemeteries with argentina’s past

'for the sun after long nights' is a history of iran’s woman, life, freedom movement

two new history books use the past to explain what’s important now

'f*** approval, you don’t need it!' makes the case against ‘people pleasers’

angela flournoy’s 'the wilderness' focuses on a black, female ‘chosen family’

former senator joe manchin makes the case for the middle in the memoir 'dead center'

ian mcewan’s latest novel ‘what we can know’ is science fiction without the science

‘peacemaker’ and ‘tomorrow is yesterday’ are personal histories of diplomacy

ken jaworowski’s new crime novel ‘what about the bodies’ has a surprising tender side

‘dark renaissance’ historian on how christopher marlowe paved the way for shakespeare

‘beyond fast’ chronicles one coach’s unlikely revolution in high school cross-country

in his new novel ‘the secret of secrets,’ dan brown takes on human consciousness

‘long way down’ and ‘the hate u give’ are modern classics about gun violence

what toni morrison learned from revisiting five of her most-read novels

sandra cisneros’ ‘the house on mango street’ was born from a feeling of displacement

in her translation of ‘the odyssey,’ emily wilson aimed for ‘a crystalline clarity’

jhumpa lahiri says the phrase ‘interpreter of maladies’ came to her in grad school

‘2024’ and ‘from the clinics to the capitol’ dissect opposing political movements

in meg medina’s new young adult novel, a 13-year-old girl becomes a sea ghost

‘misbehaving at the crossroads’ is a lesson in the complexity of reconciliation

in rabih alameddine’s new novel, a mother and son share a tiny beirut apartment

tamara yajia’s memoir recounts a chaotic upbringing between the u.s. and argentina

‘papilio’ and ‘chooch helped’ are children’s books brought to life by friendship

in ‘the sunflower boys,’ a 12-year-old boy comes of age during war in ukraine

‘friends with words’ is a book about language, from word origins to regional dialects

kate riley’s novel ‘ruth’ was inspired by her year in an insular religious community

in his memoir, poet raymond antrobus writes of ‘deaf gain’ instead of hearing loss

‘your favorite scary movie’ and ‘ready for my close-up’ are histories of iconic films

eighty years after hiroshima, a new book narrates the history of the atomic bomb

eighty years after hiroshima, a new book narrates the history of the atomic bomb

in the novel ‘loved one,’ an ambiguous friendship is further complicated by loss

‘dinner with king tut’ follows experimental archaeologists as they recreate the past

for her 25th book, karin slaughter wanted to capture life in small-town georgia

‘cook once, eat twice’ and ‘accidentally on purpose’ are new books from cooking stars

‘atlantic’ writer james parker says his odes are exercises in gratitude and attention

in ‘the hounding,’ rumors swirl around five sisters living in 18th-century england

alexis okeowo’s ‘blessings and disasters’ is an ode to alabama’s complicated history

‘dwelling’ fictionalizes the american housing crisis with elements of fairy tale

for the authors of ‘reading van gogh,’ ‘black in blues,’ art opened a door to meaning

in ‘human nature,’ kate marvel bridges the gap between climate science and emotions

jason mott’s new novel ‘people like us’ is metafiction that was almost memoir

‘sloppy’ author rax king says she’s inspired by writers who did their best work sober

a new mystery novel by liza tully pairs a green assistant with a seasoned detective

2 new books were inspired by dark moments in japanese and japanese american history

‘the feather detective’ is a biography of roxie layboune, forensic ornithologist

in lisa smith’s ‘jamaica road,’ a young girl searches for belonging in 1980s london

‘algospeak’ looks at algorithms' transformative impact on how we speak on and offline

‘algospeak’ looks at algorithms' transformative impact on how we speak on and offline

katie yee's 'maggie' approaches a tough diagnosis - and a marriage's end - with humor

new books by irene vega, tim weiner chronicle changes to federal agencies under trump

'on her game' is christine brennan's portrait of basketball star caitlin clark

short story collection 'heart lamp' is the winner of the international booker prize

in sophie elmhirst's 'a marriage at sea,' a couple tries to keep themselves afloat

through politics, fiction and her latest novel, stacey abrams aims to inspire action

'no sense in wishing' and 'hit girls' consider the way culture shapes identity

after 20 years, mary jo bang has completed her translation of dante's 'divine comedy'

mark kurlansky's novel 'cheesecake' was inspired by a recipe from ancient rome

in her new memoir, hala alyan searches for home amid a family history of exile

aisling rawle's 'the compound' follows characters on a semi-dystopian reality tv show

new biographies look at the careers of designers claire mccardell and virgil abloh

congress has voted to eliminate government funding for public media

congress has voted to eliminate government funding for public media

'trailblazer' is a memoir by carol moseley braun, first black woman elected to senate

liane moriarty on her novel 'here one moment' and on writing 'women's fiction'

'the last sweet bite' is a cookbook that documents the way conflict changes cuisine

in ann patchett's latest, a mother tells her daughters about a seminal summer

new books ask how we can protect threatened land in the amazon rainforest and hawaii

with novel 'among friends,' hal ebbott says he wanted to take friendship seriously

david litt's new memoir is about finding common ground through surfing

in the new speculative novel 'weepers,' mourning is outsourced to professionals

ten years later, ta-nehisi coates says 'between the world and me' is no longer his

kevin kwan explores race and identity in 'sex and vanity' and 'lies and weddings'

in emma straub's novel 'all adults here,' family is messy

in 'lessons in chemistry' a chemist is the star of... a cooking show?

'the rachel incident' looks back on early-20s friendships, love and mistakes

emily henry's 'funny story' centers a new character in rom-com tropes

new books by damon young and dennard dayle take different routes to humor

'the pretender' centers on a real peasant who learns he is heir to england's throne

in 'the science of revenge,' an expert explains why humans are hardwired for payback

'great black hope' is a character study of a young, black, queer man in high society

'fatherhood' traces a history of masculinity, from aristotle to sigmund freud

new books by carl hiaasen and john seabrook tell distinctly american stories

evan osnos' 'the haves and have-yachts' is a book of essays about the new gilded age

leisha hailey and kate moennig reflect on 'the l word' in memoir 'so gay for you'

for a novel on the first women astronauts, taylor jenkins reid studied old nasa pdfs

as prime minister of new zealand, jacinda ardern juggled leadership and motherhood

in 'the dry season,' melissa febos chronicles a transformative year of celibacy

susan choi's 'flashlight' is about an alternate-universe version of her own family

'sea of grass' chronicles the disappearance of the north american prairie

in 'the catch,' estranged sisters confront a mystery surrounding their mother's death

madeleine thien's new novel 'the book of records' is a story that traverses centuries

'what will people think?' and 'climbing in heels' star women trying to make it big

'theater kid' is a memoir from the producer of 'rent,' 'avenue q,' and 'hamilton'

'freedom season' argues the events of 1963 transformed the civil rights movement

in new memoir, women's college basketball coach dawn staley says she's a 'sore loser'

in debut novel 'food person,' a food writer ghostwrites a celebrity cookbook

two authors consider how being a daughter shaped their relationship to motherhood

in 'anima rising,' gustav klimt encounters a young woman under strange circumstances

'lost marvels no. 1: tower of shadows' restores a lost chapter of comic book history

honor jones' 'sleep' explores how our childhoods influence who we are as parents

karen hao's new book is a skeptical look at sam altman and elon musk's ai empire

with new novel, ocean vuong says he wants to reframe america as a place of salvage

'little bosses everywhere' looks into the wild west of multilevel marketing

a new biography of rafael nadal focuses on the tennis star's domination on clay

'original sin' argues biden aides enabled his reelection bid, despite mental decline

in 'class clown,' humorist dave barry embraces both the funny and hard parts of life

'the golden road' and 'the lucky ones' examine india's ancient and recent history

a new biography tells the twin stories of james gandolfini and tony soprano

'the lost and the found' takes an intimate look at homelessness in san francisco

in 'julie chan is dead,' former influencer liann zhang takes a swipe at the industry

isabel allende's latest historical novel draws from her time at a women's magazine

in 'romantic friction,' 'the fact checker' the publishing world is fodder for fiction

'personhood' argues fetal rights are the next frontier of the anti-abortion movement

the new novel 'fair play' is a self-aware take on the golden age of detective fiction

loryn brantz's 'poems of parenting' gives parents permission to laugh out loud

in her new memoir, tina knowles, mother of beyoncé and solange, tells her own story

new cookbooks from sarah ahn and roy choi take different approaches to korean cuisine

with 'rabbit moon,' jennifer haigh chooses shanghai as the backdrop to family tragedy

in 'putin's revenge,' lucian kim traces the lead-up to russia's invasion of ukraine

katie kitamura's 'audition' is a puzzle, but she says it's not meant to be solved

emily henry's latest novel 'great big beautiful life' explores love beyond romance

zadie smith looks back at her debut novel 'white teeth' 25 years after its release

'happy land' was inspired by a real-life kingdom of formerly enslaved people

'paper doll' documents trans tiktok creator dylan mulvaney's journey through girlhood

an early biography paints pope francis as 'the great reformer' of the catholic church

aided by new sources, clay risen's 'red scare' brings mccarthyism back to life

two new children's books view the natural world as a site of personal growth

a new cookbook by darjeeling express chef asma khan was inspired by seasonal cooking

rex ogle's 'when we ride' is a novel-in-verse about a best friendship under pressure

'adventures in the louvre' will teach you how to fall in love with the famous museum

an obituary writer makes a grave error in john kenney's 'i see you've called in dead'

two new novels explore a world where technology has even greater access to our minds

a new oral history of lollapalooza recalls the alt-rock music festival's wildest days

emma pattee's 'tilt' imagines the aftermath of a life-changing earthquake

in the wake of a sexual assault, astronaut amanda nguyen turned to activism

in 'everything is tuberculosis,' john green turns his attention to a deadly disease

authors of two new novels draw inspiration from history in wildly different ways

to confront radical change, 'slate' writer scaachi koul wrote a new book of essays

a new book from emily feng asks what it means to be chinese in xi jinping's china

in 'long island,' one woman returns to ireland after discovering her husband's affair

christine wenc's 'funny because it's true' calls 'the onion' "the original fake news"

john himmelman, reginald dwayne betts take a populist approach to poetry in new books

in 'beartooth,' brothers embark on an illicit journey into yellowstone national park

chuck schumer's 'antisemitism in america' warns of a resurgence in antisemitic views

allison epstein's 'fagin the thief' gives a charles dickens character a second chance

a former meta executive characterizes company leadership as "careless" in new memoir

in two noir novels, crime lurks beneath small town life in norway and new england

a new biography tells the story of a south asian hollywood star who passed as white

'i'm that girl' follows gymnast jordan chiles' road to the olympics

the hunger games author suzanne collins was inspired by greek myths and reality tv

a new novel from karen russell is a sprawling story set during the dust bowl

books by critic kenneth turan and actor rupert everett show two sides of hollywood

jennifer finney boylan's latest memoir 'cleavage' is a reflection on transgender life

in 'death takes me,' men are the victims of violence usually inflicted on women

alexander vindman's 'the folly of realism' suggests a long-term approach to ukraine

'dream count' is chimamanda ngozi adichie's first novel in more than a decade

picture book biographies introduce children to toni morrison and ruby bridges

'harlem rhapsody' is a novel about an affair at the heart of the harlem renaissance

in 'back after this,' a podcast host tries to find love

'you didn't hear this from me' is kelsey mckinney's gossip bible

in 'stone yard devotional,' a woman abandons modern life for a religious community

two james baldwin experts break down his early fiction and political writing

the authors of 'pseudoscience' explore and debunk your favorite conspiracy theories

irish poet pádraig ó tuama writes and reads poetry that speaks to the human condition

in 'talk to me,' the grandson of a former haitian president uncovers family secrets

mark greaney takes on geopolitics in the latest installment of the gray man series

new books from reid hoffman and bill gates look at tech revolutions past and future

in 'idle grounds,' a pack of children searches the woods for their missing cousin

a new memoir from ira madison iii is more than just 'pure innocent fun'

'life hacks for a little alien' follows a lonely girl's pursuit of an ancient tome

a new book from peter beinart asks jewish people to reimagine the israeli state

two novels from charmaine wilkerson explore cultural inheritance in black families

indie-rock artist neko case opens up about her childhood in a new memoir

'bronshtein in the bronx' is a fictional account of leon trotsky's new york exile

in ali smith's 'gliff,' two children flee capture in an authoritarian near-future

in a new book, chris hayes argues that attention is our most endangered resource

'the serviceberry' and 'birding to change the world' draw lessons from nature

'the interpreter' is a story about children who act as translators for their parents

with 'dare i say it,' naomi watts aims to help menopausal women feel less alone

andy corren's memoir 'dirtbag queen' expands on a viral tribute to his mother

a new novel follows the love lives of three generations of palestinian american women

'final girl support group' and 'witchcraft for wayward girls' center women in horror

rusty sabich comes out of retirement in scott turow's thriller 'presumed guilty'

'unassimilable' makes a radical case against assimilation for the asian diaspora

'parks 2' is a book of photos and essays focused on the national parks

han kang's latest novel 'we do not part' deals with hidden chapters of korean history

new novels from emma knight and anita desai explore the dual identities of mothers

'how to change' is a behavioral economist's guide to habit formation

'amazing grapes' was pulitzer-winning illustrator jules feiffer's final book

betül tunç's new cookbook shares the recipes behind her viral dough videos

amanda gorman's 'girls on the rise' makes the case that girls are stronger together

in new memoir, brooke shields talks aging, beauty and an unwanted medical procedure

in 'welcome to pawnee,' jim o'heir reflects on his time on 'parks and recreation'

kate kennedy's 'cello' is part memoir, part musical detective story

'the rest is memory' is a novel inspired by photos taken at auschwitz

mark lilla's new book explores the psychology and consequences of willful ignorance

'no place to bury the dead', 'the hunter' ask what lengths you'll go for others

daylight is something to celebrate in 'the shortest day'

'small things like these' draws from the true story of ireland's magdalene laundries

a new book examines millennial nostalgia and the economic consequences of y2k

'a kwanzaa keepsake and cookbook' is an updated exploration of kwanzaa's traditions

'king: a life' and 'a day in the life of abed salama' are pulitzer prize winners

in 'all fours,' miranda july tackles love, sex and reinvention in middle age

salman rushdie's memoir 'knife' recounts his attack and recovery

kaveh akbar's novel 'martyr!' is a journey of identity, addiction and poetry

percival everett centers a new voice in 'james,' a retelling of 'huckleberry finn'

bonus: a biography and a memoir reexamine jimmy carter's extraordinary life

'gather me' and 'subculture vulture' are memoirs told through books and subcultures

'the hanukkah magic of nate gadol' is a mythical take on the jewish holiday

'general sherman's christmas' captures the war-time holiday in savannah 150 years ago

new cookbook 'jiggle!' aims to bring gelatin back in style

'dylan goes electric!' is the book behind timothée chalamet's new bob dylan biopic

two books, two very different takes on christmas stories

'when southern women cook' is a diverse portrait of the american south's food culture

alizah holstein writes about the complex echelons of academia in 'my roman history'

in 'kingdom of no tomorrow,' a young woman joins the black panther party

colson whitehead's novel 'the nickel boys' comes to the big screen

two books explore phases of female life, girlhood and womanhood

in zahid rafiq's debut short story collection, the future of kashmir is uncertain

remembering nikki giovanni, poet and icon of the black arts movement

author of wampanoag history discussed her children's book and erasure

there is such a thing as too much quality time in weike wang's 'rental house'

2 new nonfiction books explore the impact of cultural forces in the world of music

haruki murakami's longtime editor spills the tea on working with the master

in new memoir, angela merkel details her time as germany's first woman chancellor

a game design company has mysterious forces at play in the new ya thriller 'darkly'

in comedian youngmi mayer's new memoir, laughter is a lifeline

'pig years' and 'what the chicken knows' consider the interior worlds of farm animals

a new cookbook from food journalist mark bittman invites kids into the kitchen

in 'growing up urkel,' actor jaleel white reflects on a career-defining role

npr staffers pick their favorite reads of the year

bonnie kistler's new thriller explores ageism from the lens of a murder

two nonfiction books take critical views of bankruptcy and microlending systems

'say nothing' tells the story of 'the troubles' through one woman's murder

in 'citizen,' former president clinton reflects on his post-white house years

in a new version of 'the cake bible,' rose levy beranbaum updates a culinary classic

in the new novel 'pony confidential,' a crime-solving pony seeks revenge

two new books on johnny carson and shirley maclaine offer intimate views of celebrity

brit barron's new book is a guide on maintaining relationships in a polarized world

with 'mystical lotería,' yvette montoya reimagines a traditional latino party game

a parenting book by author kelley coleman focuses on the care of disabled children

a shocking discovery follows an artist's death in paula hawkins' 'the blue hour'

'tías and primas' and 'linguaphile' are new nonfiction books on family and language

'big jim and the white boy,' a new graphic novel, reinterprets a mark twain classic

stanley tucci records 12 months of eating in his food diary 'what i ate in one year'

in winsome bingham's 'the walk,' a community bands together to head to the polls

bob woodward's new book 'war' invites readers into a world of back-channel diplomacy

'patriot' is a posthumous memoir by the late russian opposition leader alexei navalny

'american scary' documents a cultural obsession with horror in the united states

in 'ottolenghi comfort,' yotam ottolenghi takes an expansive view of comfort food

al pacino's memoir 'sonny boy' is a story of adventure, starting in the south bronx

palestinian poet mosab abu toha bears witness to war in 'forest of noise'

rebecca yarros on literary tropes, writing through chronic illness and 'fourth wing'

in new children's books from trevor noah and travis jonker, adventure is not far off

a new biography portrays queen elizabeth ii as the british public's emotional anchor

'how women made music' reexamines the history of music with women at its center

with a new cookbook, tiktok creator owen han aims to perfect the art of the sandwich

'the indian card' explores the question of native identity in the united states

food meets family in new books from ina garten and stephen colbert

'twenty-four seconds from now' is a love story for black boys–and everyone else, too

in 'in praise of mystery,' u.s. poet laureate ada limón looks to the stars

malcolm gladwell revisits old ideas in a new book, 'revenge of the tipping point'

han kang, winner of the 2024 nobel prize in literature, on her novel 'the vegetarian'

american library association president cindy hohl on why book bans are hard to stop

in simone st. james' 'murder road,' a lakeside honeymoon turns into a murder mystery

'building material' is the memoir of a park avenue doorman

jules feiffer, 'the phantom tollbooth' illustrator, is out with a new graphic novel

'how to build a fashion icon' is stylist law roach's guide to image architecture

'hope for cynics' and 'on freedom' ask big-picture questions about how we live

in 'we solve murders,' richard osman introduces a new detective trio

lyndsay rush's new book of poems, 'a bit much,' was written for poetry skeptics

ta-nehisi coates returns to political writing in his new book 'the message'

richard powers' new novel 'playground' is filled with awe for the ocean

newbery medalist meg medina and nba star jayson tatum are out with children's books

'what if we get it right?' envisions new possibilities for our climate future

in the new book 'want,' gillian anderson collects other women's sexual fantasies

'city in ruins' is the finale of the danny ryan trilogy–and of don winslow's career

in 'who's that girl?' eve reflects on her time in a male-dominated hip-hop industry

james mcbride on music, writing and 'the heaven & earth grocery store'

'represent' charts the united states' long struggle for the right to vote

in 'entitlement,' a young woman helps an elderly billionaire give away his fortune

venus williams' new book 'strive' is a personal guide to physical and mental health

rachel kushner's new novel 'creation lake' is inspired by real-life espionage

'at war with ourselves' and 'broken open' are memoirs chronicling internal conflict

'the museum of failures' follows a father-to-be as he stumbles upon family secrets

in 'the stories we cannot tell,' difficult pregnancies unite two very different women

in 'we're alone,' edwidge danticat's essays extend an invitation to be together

'a pair of wings' draws inspiration from bessie coleman, the first black woman to fly

'anything's pastable' and 'my life in recipes' explore viral pasta and family history

'eruption' is a collaboration between michael crichton and james patterson

justice ketanji brown jackson talks supreme court ethics, family in 'lovely one'

'the instrumentalist' is a story about music, imagination and anna maria della pietà

'ruin their crops on the ground' tracks the history and politics of food in the u.s.

'the 15-minute city' and 'rethinking rescue' reimagine existing systems

'how to leave the house' follows a quest for a missing package

in 'on the edge,' nate silver analyzes professional risk-takers

'hurdles in the dark' is a memoir about a kidnapping, juvenile detention and racing

graphic novel 'einstein in kafkaland' ponders how two great minds met in prague

'us, after' and 'a haunted girl' tackle mental health

gabino iglesias' 'house of bone and rain' is a tale of vengeance in puerto rico

'drawn testimony' is a courtroom sketch artist's memoir spanning 40 years

rufaro faith mazarura's 'let the games begin' is a rom-com set in the olympic village

'we were illegal' examines texas history through multiple generations of one family

two books revisit the cultural impacts of tina turner, duke ellington and more

sheetal sheth pens a children's book about raksha bandhan in 'raashi's rakhis'

in 'bringing ben home,' barbara bradley hagerty examines a wrongful conviction

in 'five-star stranger,' a man gets hired on an app to pretend to be a girl's father

in 'midnight in moscow,' a u.s. ambassador recounts his time in russia

nancy pelosi opens up about how she wields 'the art of power'

m.t. anderson's 'nicked' follows a heist to steal the bones of saint nicholas

juli min's novel 'shanghailanders' unfolds in reverse

cory richards' memoir covers mountains, photography and mental health

sarah perry's 'enlightenment' ponders faith, astronomy and friendship

novels by claire lombardo and catherine newman explore different stages of motherhood

'the boiling moat' plants a military strategy to prevent china's capture of taiwan

jon m. chu's memoir 'viewfinder' traces his journey to making movies

in 'liars,' sarah manguso explores a marriage falling apart

stephen graham jones explores a new side of horror in 'i was a teenage slasher'

riley sager and johanna copeland set thrillers in suburbia

khushbu shah's cookbook 'amrikan' honors the indian american diaspora

a look back at vice president kamala harris' memoir, 'the truths we hold'

joyce maynard follows 'count the ways' with 'how the light gets in'

griffin dunne's memoir chronicles fame, art and tragedy in his hollywood upbringing

two summer mysteries unravel in 'the cliffs' and 'the god of the woods'

'we were once a family' examines how the foster care system failed the hart siblings

revisiting j.d. vance's memoir, 'hillbilly elegy'

'ultraviolet' follows a young boy going through puberty and first love

in 'beautiful days,' zach williams ponders parenthood, reality and the uncanny

two books dive into the musical histories of the police and joni mitchell

in 'other rivers,' peter hessler chronicles his return to chinese classrooms

gov. gretchen whitmer unveils her vision for american democracy in 'true gretch'

'devil is fine' explores race, colonialism and grief through magical realism

'at the edge of empire' traces china's history through edward wong's family

kevin kwan explores race and identity in 'sex and vanity' and 'lies and weddings'

a new book examines alexander hamilton's plan for public debt

in 'do i know you?,' a science reporter tackles her own face blindness

yangsze choo's 'the fox wife' explores gender, murder and folklore in the 1900s

kara swisher's memoir 'burn book' reflects on a career covering silicon valley

morgan talty examines native identity in 'night of the living rez' and 'fire exit'

carys davies tackles communication, isolation and the scottish clearances in 'clear'

in 'the extinction of irena rey,' translators search for a missing author

'memory piece' follows female friendships over several decades

'hard by a great forest' is a novel about returning home decades after fleeing war

'never enough' and 'roctogenarians' examine the culture of success

'tehrangeles' follows a family of aspiring iranian influencers in la

glynnis macnicol's memoir brings readers to a summer of pleasure in paris

in 'one of our kind,' a black family moves to a planned utopia

questlove maps a cultural revolution in 'hip-hop is history'

'dear sister,' 'a fatal inheritance' examine difficult family histories

chelsea devantez's memoir finds the humor in dark situations

stephen king finishes a story 45 years in the making in 'you like it darker'

the autobiography of john swanson jacobs offers a new look at slavery and migration

'the mango tree' is a memoir about growing up mixed-race filipina in south florida

ada limón talks forgiveness, ghosts and fertility on 'wild card'

'malas' is a novel about womanhood, curses and family history in a texas border town

r.o. kwon's novel 'exhibit' grapples with sexual desire and asian identity

kathleen hanna remembers her path to becoming the og 'rebel girl'

illia ponomarenko's memoir opens up about covering the russian invasion of ukraine

two books trace the social and historical impacts of food

claire messud's new novel is a sweeping tale of history, family and social change

author kazuo ishiguro and singer stacey kent collaborate on new songbook

in 'all fours,' miranda july tackles love, sex and reinvention in middle age

doris kearns goodwin's new book is part memoir, part history of the 1960s

whoopi goldberg and tom selleck memoirs look back at their beginnings

'the salvisoul cookbook' celebrates salvadoran food and the matriarchs who cook it

'the paris novel' revels in a good meal, a beautiful dress and a romantic city

in 'the white bonus,' tracie mcmillan analyzes the monetary cost of racism

'the alternatives' is a novel about grief, sisterhood and working women

brittney griner's memoir recounts her detention in russia and finally 'coming home'

'lessons for survival' thinks about parenting through social and environmental crises

colm tóibín's long-anticipated sequel to 'brooklyn' is 'long island'

chanel miller's new children's book follows lost socks in new york city

rachel khong's new novel explores who gets to be 'real americans'

for mother's day, two books that tackle motherhood

in 'soil,' camille dungy weaves together gardening, race and motherhood

two mothers clash over integration in 'what's mine & yours'

poet ocean vuong shares his grief in 'time is a mother'

'the three mothers' who paved the way for three extraordinary men

amy tan opens up about her birding obsession in 'the backyard bird chronicles'

emily henry's 'funny story' centers a new character in rom-com tropes

'mid-air' is a middle grade book about fitting in, friendship and grief

'new cold wars' examines the relationship between the u.s., russia and china

salman rushdie's memoir 'knife' recounts his attack and recovery

'edith holler' follows a young girl cursed – and trapped – in her father's theater

scout bassett recalls her journey to becoming a paralympian in 'lucky girl'

carys davies tackles communication, isolation and the scottish clearances in 'clear'

for earth day, susan casey dives into 'the underworld' of the deep ocean

two collections of horror stories modernize the genre

'the anxious generation' analyzes the harmful effects of growing up online

'sociopath' is a memoir about how to live with – and treat – the social disorder

'memory piece' follows female friendships over several decades

in 'we loved it all,' lydia millet dives into nonfiction

two books offer lessons on love and acceptance for young readers

'all the world beside' explores a queer relationship in a 1700s puritan community

'wild kingdom' co-host rae wynn-grant found nature on tv

amor towles revisits an old protagonist in 'table for two'

hanif abdurraqib's new book ponders lebron james, growing up and going home

two picture books use vivid colors to convey messages of joy and unity

'grief is for people' is sloane crosley's memoir about losing a close friend

'wuhan' analyzes china's management and response to the covid-19 pandemic

'whalefall' by daniel kraus is a thriller about diving, loss and new beginnings

'climate capitalism' projects an optimistic future for environmental policy

don paterson and michael ondaatje's new books meditate on poetry, time and memory

'hard by a great forest' is a novel about returning home decades after fleeing war

charles spencer's memoir 'a very private school' opens up about boarding school abuse

'say hello to my little friend' explores manhood, 'scarface' and miami stereotypes

in 'the exvangelicals,' sarah mccammon analyzes loving and leaving the church

percival everett centers a new voice in 'james,' a retelling of 'huckleberry finn'

'feeding ghosts' is a graphic memoir grappling with generational trauma

'headshot' follows 8 teenage girls into the boxing ring

christine blasey ford tells her own story in 'one way back'

'2054' is a political thriller about civil war, misinformation and ai

in 'collision of power' and 'outtakes,' journalists look back on their careers

in 'the extinction of irena rey,' translators search for a missing author

'the last ships from hamburg' recalls the plight of jewish refugees before wwi

maurice vellekoop's graphic memoir recounts his coming out to his religious family

in 'anita de monte laughs last,' xochitl gonzalez explores marriage, art and success

tommy orange follows 'there, there' with 'wandering stars'

kara swisher's memoir 'burn book' reflects on a career covering silicon valley

'the rise and fall of the east' chronicles china's economic history

lucy sante's memoir reflects on her experience coming out as transgender in her 60s

'the achilles trap' analyzes the relationship between the u.s. and saddam hussein

memoirs by helen rebanks and crystal wilkinson weave recipes with women's stories

'julia' revisits george orwell's '1984,' from a new point of view

hala gorani's memoir 'but you don't look arab' is a journey of belonging

'ours' follows a woman in the 1830s who has the power to free enslaved people

'private equity' analyzes the ethical and personal costs of a career in finance

'fierce ambition' and 'the lede' look inside the world of journalism

'thank you please come again' pays homage to southern gas station food shops

in a new graphic novel, romance flourishes during the lunar new year

'fight right' analyzes how to communicate and connect through relationship conflicts

yangsze choo's 'the fox wife' explores gender, murder and folklore in the 1900s

novels by c.l. miller and tracy sierra find suspense in spooky, old houses

kunal purohit's book examines hindutva pop, social media and hate speech

gennarose nethercott's short stories expose the monstrosity of human longing

'toxic' looks back on janet jackson, britney spears and tabloid culture in the 2000s

'welcome the wretched' argues for the separation of immigration and criminalization

'the forgotten first' and 'parcells: a football life' chronicle nfl history

sarah cooper's memoir 'foolish' is about her immigrant family, tiktok fame and comedy

'not the end of the world' takes a solutions-based approach to climate change

ai weiwei's graphic memoir 'zodiac' recounts a life of art and activism

'find me the votes' investigates trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election

'the fury' and 'radiant heat' set whodunnits against extreme weather

'late bloomers' is a novel about arranged marriage, divorce and dating later in life

kaveh akbar's novel 'martyr!' is a journey of identity, addiction and poetry

in 'the bullet swallower,' the wild, wild west meets magical realism

'only say good things' chronicles crystal hefner's life at the playboy mansion

'black sheep' and 'this wretched valley' use horror to question morality

michele norris' 'our hidden conversations' examines race and identity in the u.s.

'soundtrack of silence' is a touching memoir about music and hearing loss

efrén c. olivares' memoir recounts family separations at the border

claire keegan's new book of stories explores tension, drama and gender dynamics

adam kinzinger, mitt romney and the evolution of the republican party

'the frozen river' tells the fictionalized story of a real 18th century midwife

'the golden screen' chronicles the films that shaped the asian american diaspora

'orbital' captures one day in the life of six astronauts

álvaro enrigue's new novel reimagines hernán cortés' and moctezuma's empires

two historical fiction novels focus on women's lives during wars in southeast asia

roxane gay fleshes out her strong 'opinions'

celine saintclare's debut novel explores the life of a 'sugar,baby' in london

olympic runner caster semenya's memoir tackles gender stereotypes in sports

booker prize winner 'prophet song' is a dystopian tale of irish authoritarianism

novels by barbara kingsolver and daniel mason excavate history for new meanings

'the house of doors' is a novel about romance, secrecy and colonialism in malaysia

in 'a haunting in hialeah gardens,' debt takes on many meanings

anne enright's 'the wren, the wren' is a family story about poetry and betrayal

in 'the fraud,' zadie smith takes on historical fiction and the tichborne case

in 'the world central kitchen cookbook,' josé andrés collects recipes with impact

books by raghavan iyer and crossculturekev celebrate curry and chai recipes

in 'big heart little stove,' chef erin french focuses on recipes and hospitality

mark kurlansky's new book 'the core of an onion' dives deep into culinary history

marcela valladolid's cookbook 'familia' celebrates community and her mexican roots

in 'the everlasting meal cookbook', chef tamar adler gives new life to old leftovers

nancy silverton's cookbook 'the cookie that changed my life' is an ode to perfection

from 'ringmaster' to 'prom mom,' npr staff discuss their favorite reads of 2023

in 'class', stephanie land fulfills her dream of going to college to become a writer

'black af history' examines american history from the perspective of black people

in 'pete and alice in maine,' a marriage is tested during pandemic

'this is salvaged' explores the mishaps of intimacy and communication

'the rachel incident' looks back on early-20s friendships, love and mistakes

erica jong and daughter molly jong-fast reflect on 'fear of flying'

rose previte, of michelin star restaurant maydān, releases her debut cookbook

raquel willis reflects on her journey in black trans rights activism in new memoir

jordan peele curates a new black horror story collection 'out there screaming'

author david wallace-wells outlines the biggest climate change misunderstandings

'idlewild' follows a queer, teen friendship in early 2000s new york

novels by sigrid nunez and michael cunningham tackle the pandemic

patricia evangelista's memoir revisits the aftermath of the philippines' war on drugs

norman lear's memoir recalls a life and career that shaped american television

in 'the new naturals,' gabriel bump explores grief after the loss of a daughter

in 'oath and honor,' liz cheney analyzes trump's effect on the republican party

nathan thrall's book revisits a tragic bus accident in jerusalem

'the queen of dirt island' captures the bond between women in an irish family

two national book awards finalists take on climate extremes

how indian migrant workers escaped human trafficking in mississippi

patricia park's new ya novel captures the complexities of race and adolescence

stephen buoro's comic novel follows a young nigerian man's obsession with whiteness

'burn it down' exposes discrimination and toxicity behind the scenes in hollywood

'loot' traces the love, war and art that shaped india's colonial history

two graphic memoirs explore growing up as a minority in the u.s.

in 'blackouts,' justin torres shines a light on silenced lgbtq history

jonathan eig's biography of mlk explores the activist's life and faith

in 'the covenant of water,' abraham verghese traces an indian family's drowning curse

discover your next great read with npr's books we love

jamie loftus' 'raw dog' investigates the social and culinary history of the hot dog

henry winkler and arnold schwarzenegger's memoirs open up about the fear of failing

max brooks teaches kids life lessons through the world of 'minecraft'

curtis chin's memoir pays homage to his family's chinese restaurant

'the liberators' details the lives of korean-americans grappling with the war

barbra streisand's memoir looks back on a groundbreaking career

in 'thicker than water,' kerry washington processes a family secret

what it's like to write the biographies of elon musk and sam bankman-fried

in 'let us descend,' jesmyn ward harnesses the spirituality of an enslaved woman

in 'a haunting in hialeah gardens,' debt takes on many meanings

in 'differ we must,' npr's steve inskeep examines abraham lincoln's disagreements

'the coming wave' and 'artificial' offer different perspectives on ai

in 'the list,' an allegation of sexual misconduct wreaks havoc on a relationship

'the house of doors' is a novel about romance, secrecy and colonialism in malaysia

in 'sparks,' ian johnson highlights china's 'grassroots historians'

jhumpa lahiri questions italian identity in 'roman stories'

books about olympic rowers and j. robert oppenheimer re-examine american history

after three decades, john grisham follows 'the firm' with 'the exchange'

'the color purple' is about the bonding of women

isabel wilkerson argues that 'caste,' not racism caused the great migration

'killers of the flower moon' traces the murders of osage families

two poetry collections find beauty in unexpected places

'my people' is a collection of stories – spanning decades – about black america

in 'cursed bunny,' horror takes unexpected forms

'fatty fatty boom boom' details a lifelong relationship with food and body image

'demon copperhead' tackles opioids, poverty and resilience in appalachia

novels by barbara kingsolver and daniel mason excavate history for new meanings

'lies about black people' analyzes and debunks harmful stereotypes

'land of milk and honey' paints a dystopian future for fine dining

'the big myth' breaks down pro-market, anti-government propaganda in the u.s.

nathan hill's 'wellness' examines marriage, parenthood and polyamory

susan kuklin and maia kobabe's books explore gender identity throughout adolescence

art spiegelman reissues 'breakdowns' with new perspective on book bans

'all boys aren't blue' honors coming of age as a queer black boy

in 'new kid,' a black seventh grader navigates a new school

bans on books like 'out of darkness' target authors of color

novels by hila blum and william landay unravel family mysteries

'others were emeralds' is a coming-of-age story confronting racism in australia

sandeep jauhar's memoir explains how alzheimer's works – and how it affected his dad

anne enright's 'the wren, the wren' is a family story about poetry and betrayal

'foreign bodies' traces the history of pandemics and vaccine hesitancy

two books examine the lives of afghans in the aftermath of american withdrawal

why matthew mcconaughey wrote a children's book about the "paradox of living"

'roaming' is a graphic novel about friendship and travel

in 'jews in the garden,' a holocaust survivor tries to uncover uncomfortable truths

héctor tobar examines latino identity in 'our migrant souls'

lauren groff talks captivity narratives, climate change and 'the vaster wilds'

alice carrière's memoir tackles the dissonance between memory and mental health

in 'fly,' mitchell s. jackson looks back over the history of fashion in the nba

in 'the fraud,' zadie smith takes on historical fiction and the tichborne case

abdulrazak gurnah's 'afterlives' highlights nuances of colonization in east africa

two books examine masculinity and mental health in immigrant families

'the men can't be saved' analyzes masculinity in the world of advertising

in 'the breakaway,' jennifer weiner touches on love, mothers and body-shaming

in 'happiness falls,' a father gone missing brings family tensions to the surface

'this is wildfire' offers an in-depth guide for managing today's more-frequent fires

two thrillers raise questions about writing from a particular race and identity

'queer career' chronicles the history of lgbtq workers in the u.s.

'of white ashes' follows a japanese-american love story after the wwii internment

in 'losing our religion,' russell moore tackles a crisis in evangelical christianity

'mobility' examines wealth and climate change through the eyes of a teenage girl

short story collections by steven millhauser and jamel brinkley focus on the uncanny

pidgeon pagonis' memoir 'nobody needs to know' reclaims intersex identity

in 'the apology,' a south korean grandmother makes amends from the afterlife

james mcbride's new murder mystery digs into black and jewish communities in the '30s

'war and punishment' chronicles the history of russian oppression of ukraine

two books reflect on the highs and lows of adolescence

terrance hayes' poems span history, fables and quarantine in 'so to speak'

'good fortune' reimagines 'pride and prejudice' in early 2000s chinatown

'filthy rich politicians' scrutinizes the wealth of elected officials

ann patchett's new novel brings a mother and daughters together during 2020 lockdown

two novels depict young men understanding themselves and the danger around them

in 'soul boom,' rainn wilson calls for a spiritual revolution

in 'miles morales suspended,' spider-man grapples with racism and saving the world

'soil' weaves together a poet's experience of gardening, race and community

bangles cofounder susanna hoffs' first novel follows a one-hit wonder, 10 years later

two books dive into the history of minimalist music and the origins of the saxophone

madhur jaffrey celebrates 50 years of 'an invitation to indian cooking'

poet hanif abdurraqib reflects on the ways grief has shaped his spirituality

'monsters' examines fandom and how we consume art by morally compromised people

'the collector' follows a fictional spy's quest to track down a real stolen painting

two children's books show the comfort kids can find in darkness

in her memoir, designer aurora james examines representation and equality in fashion

'nobody's fool' explains the science behind falling for scams – and how not to

'the best possible experiences' captures immigrant experience through short stories

'the rachel incident' looks back on early-20s friendships, love and mistakes

dennis lehane and jake tapper pen new novels set in the 1970s

'the apartment' follows the residents of a miami beach building over decades

'when crack was king' chronicles the misunderstood history of the crack epidemic

'ripe' tackles the dark side of silicon valley

'temple folk' conveys the experiences of black muslims through short stories

a douglas stuart double feature! 'shuggie bain' and 'young mungo'

in 'lessons in chemistry' a chemist is the star of...a cooking show?

how to manage a disaster in 'the devil never sleeps'

novel 'four treasures of the sky' focuses on the horrors of the chinese exclusion act

poet ocean vuong shares his grief in 'time is a mother'

books by vashti harrison and dolly parton teach kids about self-love and courage

'brotherless night' examines the sri lankan civil war through the eyes of one family

'wonder drug' traces the dark history of thalidomide and the birth defects it caused

adrienne brodeur's novel 'little monsters' uncovers family secrets in cape cod

fae myenne ng's memoir examines the chinese exclusion act's impact on families

two novels explore the complexities of parent-child relationships

'jeopardy!' host ken jennings pens a travel guide to the afterlife

kenny smith's memoir 'talk of champions' looks back at a career shaped by the nba

j. ryan stradal's new novel pays homage to the supper clubs of the upper midwest

frances haugen's memoir looks back on why she blew the whistle on facebook

'the postcard' and 'good night, irene' detail how wwii impacted two families

in her memoir 'wannabe,' aisha harris examines how '90s pop culture shaped her

greg marshall's memoir 'leg' recounts growing up with cerebral palsy

'loot' traces the love, war and art that shaped india's colonial history

paul mccartney's new book of photographs looks back at beatlemania in 1964

two books examine the evolution of the english language

'the talk' is a graphic memoir about the experiences of black children and parents

inspired by p-22, 'open throat' follows a queer mountain lion's lonely survival in la

'between two moons' is a coming-of-age story set during ramadan

'built from the fire' traces the impact of the tulsa race massacre

stacey abrams and james comey pen novels about crime and government

'borderless' is a ya novel about a teenage migrant separated from her mother

'flawless' provides a deeply reported look into korean beauty standards

in 'dances,' a black ballerina navigates immense pressure and expectations

rachel louise snyder's memoir traces a life shaped by patriarchy and religion

two poets pen memoirs about the relationships that shaped their writing

in 'the kingmaker,' romantic sparks fly at a pipeline protest

'undaunted' provides a thorough history of the women who blazed trails in journalism

in 'the guest,' a sex worker wreaks havoc on the glitzy social scene at the hamptons

'break the wheel' examines police violence and accountability

jerry seinfeld and tom hanks reflect on personal and professional longevity

cassandra jackson's memoir looks back on a how tragic accident shaped her family

in a new anthology, justice roe williams rethinks fitness to be more inclusive

r.f. kuang's 'yellowface' tackles cultural appropriation in publishing

a new biography of martin luther king, jr. explores the activist's life and faith

two books look back on family histories and secrets

lucinda williams' memoir looks back on a career defying expectations

'late bloomers' is a novel about arranged marriage, divorce and dating later in life

matika wilbur honors and celebrates native american tribal nations in 'project 562'

in 'the covenant of water,' abraham verghese traces an indian family's drowning curse

two novels depict young men understanding themselves and the danger around them

in 'soul boom,' rainn wilson calls for a spiritual revolution

in 'miles morales suspended,' spider-man grapples with racism and saving the world

'soil' weaves together a poet's experience of gardening, race and community

bangles cofounder susanna hoffs' first novel follows a one-hit wonder, 10 years later

'my powerful hair' and 'contenders' tell stories of indigenous heritage

rep. katie porter writes about being a working mom in congress in 'i swear'

how author dionne ford found healing in the story of her enslaved ancestors

musician questlove and crime writer s.a. cosby on their new children's book

mary louise kelly on her memoir 'it. goes. so. fast. the year of no do-overs'

two novels offer new perspectives on the women of greek mythology

'redaction' examines criminal justice via portraits, poems written from legal papers

'the queen of dirt island' captures the bond between women in an irish family

how indian migrant workers escaped human trafficking in mississippi

npr's ari shapiro looks back on reporting, singing and touring in new memoir

two nonfiction books examine grief and its impact on memory

'decent people' is a murder mystery grappling with race in the segregated south

author azar nafisi says books can help you really live

in 'romantic comedy,' curtis sittenfeld flips the gendered tropes

'the adventures of amina al-sirafi' calls a mother and former pirate back to the sea

two novels find siblings confronting the evils around them

in 'empireland,' sathnam sanghera takes a closer look at the uk's imperialist history

colleen oakley's new roadtrip novel takes inspiration from 'thelma and louise'

in 'a living remedy,' nicole chung reflects on anger, grief and failed systems

lizzie stark traces the history and cultural impact of the 'egg'

two books trace enslaved people's journey to freedom in the 19th century

in 'the survivalists,' doomsday prepping becomes a way to regain control

'demon copperhead' tackles opioids, poverty and resilience in appalachia

in 'bad cree,' a horror mystery unfolds in the aftermath of loss and colonialism

'meredith, alone' explores mental health, isolation and friendship

'hello beautiful' and 'pineapple street' examine the closeness between sisters

patricia park's new ya novel captures the complexities of race and adolescence

'i am debra lee: a memoir' recounts triumphs and challenges as the former ceo of bet

fandom acts as an antidote for loneliness in 'y/n'

'poverty, by america' argues america profits by keeping people poor

two books warn about the privacy implications of ai and neurotechnology

'that's hot': paris hilton is ready to tell her own story

dina nayeri wants you to question 'who gets believed'

in 'dust child,' the impacts of the vietnam war are felt decades later

a new biography of first lady edith wilson examines her political influence

from the astros to colin kaepernick, two books revisit monumental sports stories

'your driver is waiting' takes a modern spin on 'taxi driver'

sparked by the pandemic, katherine may searches for 'enchantment' in nature

in 'what happened to ruthy ramirez,' a family struggles with a child's disappearance

margaret atwood ponders aging, fantasy and george orwell in 'old babes in the wood'

two memoirs tell life-altering stories through illustrations

'a stone is most precious where it belongs' is a memoir of the uyghur experience

'all the beauty in the world' is a museum guard's view on healing through art

beth moore says misogyny pushed her to leave the southern baptist convention

in 'dyscalculia,' camonghne felix reckons with heartbreak as a form of trauma

sen. bernie sanders and malcolm harris take a closer look at wealth and capitalism

in 'my selma,' willie mae brown recalls growing up during the civil rights movement

in 'the darker the night,' a murder in glasgow unravels a political investigation

jean d'amérique's novel 'a sun to be sewn' grapples with violence in haiti

bozoma saint john opens up about trauma, grief and healing in 'the urgent life'

two children's books examine the meaning of home

from cowboy boots to polyamory, 'wanting' explores what it means for women to desire

'up with the sun' traces actor dick kallman's short-lived career – up to his murder

'call and response' is an ode to the women and girls of botswana

greta thunberg hopes 'the climate book' is a launching pad for environmental activism

'how far the light reaches' dives into the deep sea for lessons on community and care

'the end of drum-time' captures a complicated love story in an arctic community

'the house of eve' explores black motherhood and associated stigma in the 1950s

'the ransomware hunting team' tracks the rise of cybercrime and the fight to solve it

'what napoleon could not do' occupies the space between african and american identity

two ya novels create well-rounded portraits of black characters coming of age

in 'the world and all that it holds,' two soldiers fall in love during world war i

in 'and finally,' a neurosurgeon comes to terms with his own cancer diagnosis

nba dreams come true in 'the sense of wonder.' but at what cost?

through short stories, 'the faraway world' encompasses the latin american diaspora

two novels take a closer look at class and gender in indian society

in 'beaverland,' leila philip credits the beaver with building america

'shubeik lubeik' imagines a world where you can buy and sell wishes

in 'the survivalists,' doomsday prepping becomes a way to regain control

'sorry, sorry, sorry' believes in the power of a good apology

two books trace enslaved people's journey to freedom in the 19th century

in 'bad cree,' a horror mystery unfolds in the aftermath of loss and colonialism

'life on delay' chronicles what it means to live with – and accept – a stutter

'decent people' is a murder mystery grappling with race in the segregated south

'you just need to lose weight' aims to change your thinking about being 'fat'

susan kuklin and maia kobabe's books explore gender identity throughout adolescence

art spiegelman reissues 'breakdowns' with new perspective on book bans

'all boys aren't blue' honors coming of age as a queer black boy

in 'new kid,' a black seventh grader navigates a new school

bans on books like 'out of darkness' target authors of color

steve martin, harry bliss and nick hornby take different approaches to working hard

in 'winterland,' a soviet union gymnast navigates a grueling responsibility

in 'song of silver, flame like night,' chinese mythology teaches lessons about power

'meredith, alone' explores mental health, isolation and friendship

a new biography of janet yellen offers a personal look at the trailblazing economist

authors peng shepard and anne tyler show that family is...complicated

inspired by a true story, 'nightcrawling' deals with sex work – and sexual abuse

'less is lost' is the sequel to andrew greer's pulitzer prize-winning novel 'less'

a futuristic novel about the powerful escaping to space echoes today's world

romance, terror, and the supernatural in isabel cañas' debut novel 'the hacienda'

two novels chronicle the mysterious disappearances of young women

'my people' is a collection of stories – spanning decades – about black america

'the myth of normal' explores why depression and illness rates are rising in the u.s.

'demon copperhead' tackles opioids, poverty and resilience in appalachia

'our book of awesome' celebrates the small joys that can actually make us happier

two cookbooks for baking the sweetest holiday treats

olympic diver tom daley explains his love for knitting in 'made with love'

in 'grocery shopping with my mother,' a son becomes a caretaker

in 'cursed bunny,' horror takes unexpected forms

'the future is analog' makes the case for logging off

patti smith's photography and kevin nealon's caricatures offer a new perspective

'we deserve monuments' highlights a queer, black love story amidst a family mystery

'the black family's guide to college admissions' traces the path to higher education

'the light pirate' depicts a dystopian florida amidst climate catastrophes

'three girls from bronzeville' is a memoir about identity, opportunity and solidarity

npr recommends our favorite books of 2022, including jennette mccurdy's memoir

'all this could be different' grapples with the beautiful chaos of post-college life

in 'so help me god,' mike pence considers how his faith shapes his politics

in 'they're going to love you,' a dancer's secret unravels lessons about forgiveness

'how to stand up to a dictator' dissects how disinformation can kill democracies

exploring immigration through a common experience: feeling like an outsider

in 'lessons in chemistry' a chemist is the star of...a cooking show?

poet warsan shire hopes you can make the voices in your head your friends

'booth' looks at the family life of president lincoln's notorious assassin

author noviolet bulawayo's novel 'glory' draws inspiration from the orwellian

two poetry collections find beauty in unexpected places

in 'sweet land of liberty,' pie recipes show how american values transform over time

sci-fi elements help a family's story before and after warfare

'control' chronicles the dark history of eugenics and its ongoing impact

in 'the book of jose,' fat joe remembers his rise in hip-hop

two books cover the russia-ukraine war from opposite perspectives

'gods of soccer' celebrates 100 of the world's best players

michelle obama talks marriage, motherhood and 'going high' in 'the light we carry'

'now is not the time to panic' captures a summer of teenage friendship and creativity

'fatty fatty boom boom' details a lifelong relationship with food and body image

two writers on building new careers and self-fulfillment through food

in 'small game,' a survival-challenge reality show takes a dark turn

in 'somewhere sisters,' twins adopted by different families reunite

bono writes about the faith and ecstasy of u2's music in 'surrender'

'if i survive you' navigates family and identity in the jamaican diaspora

two books examine how we listen to music and why it resonates with us

in 'the last chairlift,' john irving revisits familiar themes with a new perspective

'the persuaders' finds power in bridging the political divide

in 'signal fires,' a tragic accident stretches across time, memory and family secrets

'and there was light' traces abraham lincoln's views on slavery and religion

two thrillers unfold in the shadows of appalachia

'fen, bog & swamp' explains why the wetlands matter and why they're disappearing

'when we were sisters' details the pain and perseverance of orphanhood

in 'dying of politeness,' geena davis says susan sarandon taught her to speak up

'black women will save the world' honors those on the frontlines of democracy

two books highlight the role of food in creating the comfort of home

'mika in real life' focuses on identity and the diversity of parental bonds

'less is lost' is the sequel to andrew greer's pulitzer prize-winning novel 'less'

constance wu writes about her trauma and ensuing judgment in memoir 'making a scene'

celeste ng's 'our missing hearts' explores a new dystopia through a teenager's eyes

two novels by namwali serpell explore borders and the mixed-race family

in 'you gotta be you,' brandon kyle goodman says we should embrace who we are

'warholcapote' is a window into the relationship between two great, tortured minds

gay sons of immigrants talk about the weight they carry in 'brown and gay in la'

'waging a good war' explains civil rights movement in military strategy terms

two writers on friendships and how they shape us

dick ebersol's autobiography 'from saturday night to sunday night' spans his career

'what if? 2' is randall munroe's second round of answers to absurd questions

'the door of no return' is a story for children about slavery

hilary mantel's 'wolf hall' examines the reign of king henry viii through his advisor

two authors on writing unlikable characters and the power of storytelling

a futuristic novel about the powerful escaping to space echoes today's world

a family grows and changes in graphic memoir 'it won't always be like this'

'the marriage portrait' is a renaissance story of marriage, survival, and murder

'the divider' looks at trump's years in office through the eyes of his aides

two ya books spark conversation about race and racial justice activism in youth

'daughter of auschwitz' tells the harrowing story of a child holocaust survivor

'the unfolding' examines values of old, wealthy republicans after obama's election

ruby bridges recounts civil rights history through kid's eyes in new children's book

zelenskyy aide gives insight on war in ukraine in 'the fight for our lives'

two authors explore ideals and stresses of latino culture and immigration

ken starr gives an inside look on clinton investigation in his memoir, 'contempt'

'she's nice though' tackles the burdens of being nice

'dinners with ruth' shows how friendship can flourish despite clashing careers

'nickel and dimed' is a window into the lives of low-wage workers

two authors write about the importance of mental health and accessing feelings

gaia vince details how migration will help billions survive in new book

'touch' is a love story with elements of mystery, time, and loneliness

'path lit by lightning' showcases jim thorpe's resilience until the end of his life

'the mamas' views parenting through the lenses of race, class, and gentrification

magical realism and identity explored in salman rushdie's books

in 'electable,' ali vitali explores the glass ceiling for women in politics

emma donoghue revisits isolation and faith (with many birds) in new book 'haven'

'the stolen year' details how politics and pandemic magnified inequality in education

abdulrazak gurnah's 'afterlives' highlights nuances of colonization in east africa

paula hawkins and amanda jayatissa highlight class inequality via mystery

sidik fofana addresses how complicated gentrification is in debut story collection

ellen jovin travels across the u.s. in search of grammar questions and answers

'the scent of burnt flowers' uses fiction to explore a real, historical event

author weaves family history with fiction in debut novel

mohsin hamid and alora young detail the impact of colorism in their stories

romance novelist pokes fun at genre while writing it, in 'thank you for listening'

in new memoir, sen. tim scott details the second chances he's gotten

a daughter helps her mom finish her book 'properties of thirst'

criminal justice reform and resilience are central in albert woodfox's 'solitary'

nikole hannah jones and adam rubin work to make kids' books more approachable

'south to america' shows how southern history shaped our nation

chinese american culture, murder mystery, and dostoyevsky in 'the family chao'

devon price on self-acceptance and expression for people with autism

failure motivates olympic medalist lindsey vonn

family pets and complicated emotions in two children's books

journalist alan henry's new book is an invitation to get seen, heard, and paid

candice millard explores the complicated legacy of exploration in 'river of gods'

in 'freewater' amina luqman-dawson uses ya fiction to dive deep into black history

'the inheritors' explores the lasting effects of apartheid in south africa

baseball at the center of personal narratives in two new memoirs

life's hardships lead to the trek of a lifetime in 'soundings'

sci-fi elements help a family's story before and after warfare

'x' portrays dystopian reality among the marginalized where they are exported

'why didn't you tell me?' explores a false origin story for the price of assimilation

two books show life as seen through the eyes of the animal kingdom

the history of control over women and their bodies is central in 'the foundling'

blurred family history gets questioned in joseph han's debut novel, 'nuclear family'

'the pallbearers club' shows how dangerous nostalgia can be

mark leibovich details the price of blind loyalty under donald trump in new book

two indigenous authors on the legacy of a shared, painful history

'covered in night' compares colonial and indigenous approaches to justice

in 'poet warrior', joy harjo uses poetry to deal with pain and heal

in 'fresh banana leaves' an indigenous approach to fighting climate change

morgan talty uses humor to tell the story of an indigenous tribe's struggles

two nonfiction books reminiscent of a bygone era in hollywood

werner herzog's 'the twilight world' is inspired by a wwii japanese holdout officer

'under the skin' shows how covid exposed racial disparities in healthcare

'the tomorrow game' is sudhir venkatesh's chronicle of violence in south side chicago

'the last resort' unveils the environmental toll of beachside destinations

danielle evans and brit bennett on the lies we tell ourselves

a lifetime of secrets unfold in 'black cake'

what does 'the family chao' have in common with dostoyevsky? murder and more.

hanya yanagihara grapples with pandemics in 'to paradise'

in 'all adults here,' family is messy

tap dancing twizzlers, cockroach warriors, and fairy tales! oh my!

finding simplicity and radical acceptance through animal sexuality

a new book shows how the south – and its history – shapes our nation

in séamas o'reilly's memoir, a tribute to a widowed father raising 11 kids in ireland

nicole a. taylor's cookbook puts a spin on traditional african american food

two books on fatherhood to help celebrate sunday

a reflection on ambition and success in 'tracy flick can't win'

in keri blakinger's memoir, the path from high-achieving teenager to prison to writer

inspired by a true story, 'nightcrawling' deals with sex work – and sexual abuse

four strangers, a murder, and a cozy winter library in sulari gentill's new novel

exploring immigration through a common experience: feeling like an outsider

dan chaon imagines a dystopian, dark future for america in 'sleepwalk'

book recommendations for 50+ states and beyond!

the aftermath of brown vs the board of education in 'jim crow's pink slip'

in 'big feelings:' advice on how to be okay... when things are not okay

a multifaceted view of trauma in two indian novels

grady hendrix reimagines the horror movie sequel in 'final girl support group'

jhumpa lahiri on translating herself and others

a quest for knowledge in elif batuman's sequel to 'the idiot'

in honor of memorial day: 'when books went to war'

two celebrity memoirs take us behind the scenes to talk health, relationships, fame

anne heltzel questions 'cult of motherhood' in a new horror novel 'just like mother'

new george floyd biography paints a picture of being a black man in america

the debate on reforming the supreme court in eric holder's 'our unfinished march'

traveling in time with emma straub in her new novel 'this time tomorrow'

understanding china's brutal treatment of uyghur muslims through two nonfiction books

authentic mexican recipes abound ricky martínez's cookbook 'mi cocina'

an unexpected, endearing friendship in 'remarkably bright creatures'

a new bonnie and clyde-type adventure in 'teenager' by bud smith

former secretary of defense mark esper on the ethical dilemmas of working for trump

two nonfiction books... that just won pulitzer prizes!

the illusion and power of money in hernan diaz's 'trust'

romance, terror, and the supernatural in isabel cañas' debut novel 'the hacienda'

the paradox of fame in minnie driver's new memoir

in 'the family roe:' the human side of the landmark abortion case 'roe v. wade'

for mother's day, two books that tackle motherhood

dolen perkins-valdez's historical novel fictionalizes involuntary sterilizations

colson whitehead finally gets to flex his comedy muscle

devon price on the freedom of "unmasking" for people with autism

danica roem reclaims her own story in her memoir 'burn the page'

two memoirs that celebrate the influence of black female artists

a retelling of the book of genesis with god as a woman in 'let there be light'

'how to be a woman online' tackles online harassment against women

a queer, afrofuturistic world in 'the memory librarian'

mortality, politics, and the power of poetry in colm tóibín's 'vinegar hill'

for earth day, two books rethink how we talk about environmental crises

humor, horror and social commentary blend in percival everett's detective novel

how delia ephron let herself fall back in love after heartbreak

reinventing the epic with 'the love songs of w.e.b du bois'

virtual memories live in 'the candy house'

a douglas stuart double feature! 'shuggie bain' and 'young mungo'

in 'lessons in chemistry,' a chemist is the star of ... a cooking show?

how to manage a disaster in 'the devil never sleeps'

novel 'four treasures of the sky' focuses on the horrors of the chinese exclusion act

poet ocean vuong shares his grief in 'time is a mother'

maud newton and jhumpa lahiri interrogate one's place in the world

viet thanh nguyen follows pulitzer winning 'the sympathizer' with 'the committed'

'the vortex' investigates how climate catastrophes can have unexpected consequences

'booth' looks at the family life of president lincoln's notorious assassin

a new picture book seeks to answer the question 'what is school for?'

authors peng shepherd and anne tyler show that family is...complicated

'the last suspicious holdout' looks at how humans keep on believing

'the beauty of dusk' and life's calamitous challenges

solving systemic racism and buying sensible cardigans with comic phoebe robinson

we look at hollywood legend rita moreno's career after the oscars

karen dawisha and marie yovanovitch provide a deeper look at russia's war in ukraine

a meet-cute followed by real life: 'party of two' is about love in the real world

'checkout 19' explores the magic of escaping with a good book

'peach blossom spring' interrogates the meaning of home

author azar nafisi says books can help you really live

lights, camera, method acting!

two mothers clash over integration in 'what's mine & yours'

poet warsan shire hopes you can make the voices in your head your friends

author noviolet bulawayo's novel 'glory' draws inspiration from the orwellian

former attorney general william barr says he was just doing his job

nikole hannah jones and adam rubin aim to make children's books more accessible

author bernardine evaristo confides in the reader in new memoir, 'manifesto'

author tessa hadley writes a juicy tale of the bourgeois in 'free love'

we travel to iceland with its first lady on international women's day

the people caught in the middle of war in 'a constellation of vital phenomena'

gulbahar haitiwaji and desmond shum get personal about the reach of china's power

'black cloud rising' novelizes the leader of an all-black brigade in the civil war

putin's use of nazi rhetoric is not new according to historian timothy snyder

a lifetime of secrets unfold in 'black cake'

'the splendid and the vile' dives deep into winston churchill's year during the blitz

'the black agenda' and 'solitary' tackle criminal justice reform

'girl, woman, other' celebrates black british women

'anthem' considers the world we are passing down to the next generation

'moon witch, spider king' takes us back into marlon james' fantastical world

writer arthur brooks says strivers can end up unhappier later in life

two authors tell stories of the weird and wild in the classical music world

author maeve higgins humorously reflects on her immigrant experience

what does 'the family chao' have in common with dostoyevsky? murder and more.

author tara westover says we need to consider how people have been 'educated'

happy valentine's day! we get sappy with 'evvie drake starts over'

isabel wilkerson argues that 'caste' not racism caused the great migration

octavia butler imagines a world without racism

alex haley nearly lost it all writing 'roots'

'the color purple' is about the bonding of women

book banning is seen in historical context in 'burn this book'

writers lizzie damilola blackburn and edmund white want to talk about sex

how did humans get here? historian yuval noah harari is thrilled to tell you

'south to america' makes the case that southern history shaped our nation

enslaved people imagine freedom and beyond in 'yonder'

struggling with burnout? author jonathan malesic might be able to help

tap dancing twizzlers, cockroach warriors, and fairy tales! oh my!

former california prosecutor details how she helped take down sex trafficking site

country star merle haggard is larger than life in 'the hag'

hanya yanagihara grapples with pandemics in 'to paradise'

what motivates you? for olympic medalist lindsey vonn, it's failure.

ghosts and the sea take lead roles in violet kupersmith and edwidge dantica's novels

'twilight of democracy' chronicles the rise of authoritarianism

'the engagement' looks at the complicated history of marriage equality

in 'of women and salt,' women weave the future out of scraps

'the three mothers' who paved the way for three extraordinary men

looking for some pandemic-era writing? we have spooky and we have sweet.

anger and grief after hurricane maria in 'velorio'

get the most out of that noggin with 'supercharge your brain'

language is power in 'beasts of a little land'

the late archbishop desmond tutu never lost his faith in humanity

tricia elam walker, ekua holmes, and clint smith take us across the country

actress sharon gless on life's ups and downs in 'apparently there were complaints'

president trump's final acts of 'betrayal'

remembering bell hooks and 'all about love'

lower your expectations and succeed with 'tiny habits'

npr's wisdom from the top: 'machiavelli for women'

alexi pappas and glennon doyle want you to know it's ok to not be ok

healing through poetry in 'light for the world to see'

'hamnet' gives life to shakespeare's little-known son

'dwyane' uses photographs to wrap up an illustrious career

in 'all adults here,' family is messy

snuggle up for the holidays with two npr favorites

'agatha of little neon' falls out of love with the church

a defense - and celebration - of all things 'tacky'

keeping yourself afloat in 'between two kingdoms'

reinventing the epic with 'the love songs of w.e.b du bois'

npr's throughline: the postal service

danielle evans and brit bennett on the lies we tell ourselves

'empire of pain' explores the family behind purdue pharma

'wish you were here' ... stranded with me in the galapagos islands

raekwon of the wu-tang clan on the highs and lows of success

a tech giant does its best big brother impersonation in 'the every'

'design to live' is a testament to the human spirit

'a snake falls to earth' tackles real life issues in a fantastical world

robert jones jr. and laird hunt talk tragedies and overlooked histories

surviving high school in 'huda f are you?'

chancellor angela merkel's last dance

louise erdrich and kevin brockmeier are not writing campfire ghost stories

npr's short wave: 'an outsider's guide to humans'

'all that she carried' weaves together generations of black women

'chouette' is part owl part human baby. fine. but how to raise her?

'black food' is more than just recipes, it's the stories behind them

celebrating npr's petra mayer with three literary things she loved

tommy orange is here to hold the door open for future indigenous writers

'calvin' shows how transgender kids can express who they really are

'the island of missing trees' uses, well, trees to chronicle generational trauma

'out of office' considers 'why' companies want to bring back remote employees

murder! space! james bond! chris hadfield and anthony horowitz talk thrillers

'misfire' takes an inside look at the corruption at the heart of the nra

'beautiful country' looks back on a young chinese girl's undocumented childhood

sj sindu makes and unmakes a god in her new novel 'blue skinned gods'

'hail mary' sets the record straight on the history of the women's football league

'dear memory' and 'cokie' both look toward the future while remembering the dead

amitav ghosh turned to legends to write a story large enough for climate change

grady hendrix reimagines the horror movie sequel in 'final girl support group'

dr. sanjay gupta looks to a future living with covid in 'world war c'

lucy barton and her ex, william, are at the heart of elizabeth strout's new book

tiphanie yanique and dawnie walton on music, monsters, and family baggage

nick offerman ponders nature's patterns and chaos in central park

in a powerful memoir, poet joy harjo talks about finding her voice and using it

poet melissa lozada-oliva dreams of selena

jane goodall doesn't want you to give up on the planet

zakiya dalila harris and oliver jeffers talk about different kinds of hauntings

how drew magary rediscovered himself after 'the night the lights went out'

why hillary clinton wanted to write a political thriller about her greatest nightmare

in 'the matter of black lives,' generations of black thinkers probe american racism

the zoo that history nearly forgot in 'when two feathers fell from the sky'

food is a gateway to the new and familiar in 'crying in h mart' and 'gastro obscura'

karl ove knausgaard didn't mean to write a 666-page book

stephanie grisham is — yes, really — taking our questions now

how colin powell wanted the world to remember him

amor towles' new book is about a road trip that takes more than a few u-turns

in song and poetry, 'nina' and 'just us' offer ways to start a conversation on race

fiona hill's new trump-era memoir is less about trump than it is about us

humor, horror and social commentary blend in percival everett's detective novel

what maggie nelson means when she talks about freedom

myriam j.a. chancy's historical novel about a haitian earthquake hits on human truths

the realities of abortion politics in 'family roe: an american story' & 'red clocks'

hearing voices from 'the book of form and emptiness'

the trailblazing black football players that history books forgot

'cloud cuckoo land' by anthony doerr

from silence to cacophony, here's how your brain makes sense of the world

what a detective novel and a memoir both have to say about black american life

to understand humanity, you have to understand water

colson whitehead finally gets to flex his comedy muscle

npr's book of the day: hand-picked great reads, everyday from npr.

npr's book of the day: hand-picked great reads, everyday from npr.

npr's book of the day: hand-picked great reads, everyday from npr.