Book Reviews Better Off Red: 'War Dogs' Puts Marines On Mars October 22, 2014 Greg Bear's latest space adventure goes from the Earth to Mars and back again with a grizzled group of "Skyrines" (Sky Marines, get it?) on the trail of a mysterious alien treasure.
Who Is 'Limonov'? Not Even His Biographer Really Knows October 21, 2014 A new biography of the Russian political prankster/author/revolutionary Edward Limonov asks what turns out to be an unanswerable question: What's Limonov thinking, and what does he really want?
'Lila' Sets The Stage For Marilynn Robinson's Earlier Works October 20, 2014 Alan Cheuse reviews Lila, a new novel from Marilynne Robinson that is a prequel to her earlier books and has been shortlisted for the National Book Award. Listen Loading… 1:55 Download Playlist
This Week's Must Read After A Flurry Of Literary Awards, A Book On The 'Wonder' Of Words October 19, 2014 It's literary awards season. The Nobel, the National Book Awards shortlists, and the Man Booker Prize were all recently announced. Author Jason Sheehan recommends some reading on all this reading. Listen Loading… 2:36 Download Playlist
Amid The Chaos Of Debt Collection, 'Bad Paper' Offers A Riveting Roadmap October 19, 2014 It's not often that a book can mix machetes with hedge funds. Then again, few industries are as chaotic, and compelling, as debt collection — which Jake Halpern's book reveals in alarming detail.
300,000,000 Is A Horrific, Poetic Anti-Ode To America October 18, 2014 Blake Butler's new novel, 300,000,000, is not for the squeamish. This portrait of a serial killer and the detective who hunts him will curdle the blood — and possibly the soul — of any reader.
A Collection Of Poems That Offers An Unlikely Kind Of Hope October 18, 2014 In his second poetry collection, The New Testament, Jericho Brown weaves together strains of religious invocations with his uneasy identity as a southern, gay, black man into a beguiling self myth.
This Week's Must Read Oscar Pistorius' Sentencing And The Classic True Crime Novel October 17, 2014 Oscar Pistorius, superstar athlete, was back in court this week for his sentencing hearing, after a culpable homicide conviction. Journalist Mandy Wiener says his case reminds her of a favorite book.
'Accidental Highwayman' Stands And Delivers October 17, 2014 Ben Tripp's young adult debut is a charming romp through a thoroughly theatrical 18th-century England populated by swashbuckling highwaymen, fairies and circus performers.
Rebooted Comic Heroine Is An Elegant, Believable 'Marvel' October 16, 2014 Author G. Willow Wilson and artist Adrian Alphona introduce the new Ms. Marvel — a 16-year-old Muslim girl from Jersey City — with elegant line work and utterly believable characterizations.
'The Assassination Of Margaret Thatcher' And Other Stories From Hilary Mantel October 15, 2014 Heads tend to roll, figuratively and otherwise, in Mantel's writing. Critic Maureen Corrigan says this new short story collection — about grotesque characters in the modern world — is breathtaking. Listen Loading… 6:28 Download Playlist
When Good Kids Go Feral, Bloody 'Brood' Hits Its Stride October 15, 2014 Gratuitous, gore-soaked and reveling in poor taste, Chase Novak's Brood is a true B-movie sequel — and just as fun. But despite its body count, the book still could have used a little more blood.
A Hero's Journey Turns Dark In 'Clariel' October 14, 2014 The long-awaited new novel in Garth Nix's Old Kingdom series goes back in time to follow a powerful young woman on a difficult path. Fans will get a chill when Clariel's final destiny is revealed.
Book Review: 'J' October 13, 2014 A review of J by Howard Jacobson. Listen Loading… 2:09 Download Playlist
The Feathery Saga Of A 'Sucker For Unwanted Birds' October 12, 2014 Michelle Raffin's new The Birds of Pandemonium is an impassioned but occasionally jumbled memoir of her adventures in the noisy, smelly, exhausting, rewarding world of rare bird conservation.
A Slow Simmer Of Grief And Strength In 'Nora Webster' October 11, 2014 Colm Tóibín's new novel is set in his Irish home town in the early 1970s, and follows the titular Nora as she and her family struggle to cope with the loss of her beloved husband.
This Week's Must Read For This Baseball Season, Roger Angell Has Just The 'Ticket' October 10, 2014 The American League Championship Series begins tonight. Writer Kate Tuttle says Roger Angell's 1988 collection of essays, Season Ticket, is the perfect accompaniment to the postseason. Listen Loading… 2:27 Download Playlist
Simple Sketches Of A Complicated Cure In 'The Hospital Suite' October 9, 2014 Cartoonist John Porcellino details a decades-long health struggle in his new graphic memoir. Reviewer Etelka Lehoczky says Porcellino's spare art is a powerful way to engage with the topic of illness.
In Cronenberg's 'Consumed,' An Appetite For Sex, Death And The Latest Gear October 8, 2014 Director David Cronenberg's debut novel is about two journalists chasing after sensational stories. This book is admirable in its unflinching gaze and beautiful in its depiction of a twisted reality. Listen Loading… 3:55 Download Playlist
A Hairy, Sardonic Fable In 'The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil' October 8, 2014 Stephen Collins' debut graphic novel depicts a bland, comfortable, conformist world turned upside down by one man's sudden growth of a bristly, twisty, unstoppably anarchic beard.