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Sept. 17, 2013
"Claire of the Sea Light" is a story of death and loss, but also the enduring power of love. The intertwined lives in a small fishing village are upended when a seven-year-old girl disappears. Haitian-born novelist Edwidge Danticat has returned with her first novel in a decade.
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Sept. 17, 2013
In a seaside town in Haiti, a fisherman's daughter goes missing on her seventh birthday. What happens to the community as they search for her is the subject of a new novel, "Claire of the Sea Light." Acclaimed author Edwidge Danticat joins Jeffrey Brown to discuss her latest work and how she stays connected to the past.
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Sept. 13, 2013
From Spanish settlers to immigration reform, the Hispanic-American experience stretches centuries and predates Plymouth Rock. A new PBS documentary series chronicles those often untold stories. Gwen Ifill talks to NewsHour's own Ray Suarez about his companion book, "Latino Americans: The 500-Year Legacy that Shaped a Nation."
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Sept. 12, 2013
When the 9/11 attacks occurred, Americans flooded the Internet to seek news and feel connected. Danny Lewin was a tech entrepreneur who had developed algorithms to ensure the Web wouldn't crash from high traffic. He was also the first victim on Sept. 11. Molly Knight-Raskin joins Ray Suarez to discuss her new book about Lewin.
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Sept. 5, 2013
It's a bird... it's a plane... it's Superman! In the book "Superman: The Unauthorized Biography," author Glen Weldon of NPR chronicles 75 years of the Man of Steel, from his changing costume to his "truth, justice and the American way" mantra. Weldon joins Christina Bellantoni to discuss the evolution of the iconic superhero.
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Sept. 4, 2013
Colleges try to market their degrees as a ticket to professional success. A collection of essays argues the focus of higher education should be on student transformation and learning. Jeffrey Brown sits down with Mark Edmundson of the University of Virginia to discuss his book, "Why Teach?: In Defense of a Real Education."
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Aug. 27, 2013
Real-life drama in Washington isn't popular in the polls, but it does provide plenty of fodder for modern storytellers. Jeffrey Brown speaks with a few who have found inspiration: Beau Willimon, co-creator of the series "House of Cards," Jay Roach, director of the comedy "The Campaign," and novelist and critic Thomas Mallon.
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Aug. 22, 2013
It's not just great animation and big-name actors that make Spiderman and Iron Man big box office hits. These characters and other superheroes exist on a symbolic level that deeply resonates with American culture. Christina Bellantoni previews her chat with NPR's Glen Weldon, author of "Superman: The Unauthorized Biography."
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Aug. 16, 2013
Thousands of species of plant and wildlife call Ecuador's Yasuni National Park home, but it is believed that beneath the lush floor lies $7.2 billion of oil. Drilling could threaten the rain forest's biodiversity and indigenous populations. Some scientists argue a balance could be found. Hari Sreenivasan reports.
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Aug. 8, 2013
According to Bruce Katz and Jennifer Bradley, local officials are searching for new ways to innovate and make urban centers more livable. Judy Woodruff talks with Katz and Bradley, authors of "The Metropolitan Revolution," about major moves at U.S. city halls to breath new life into the American economy and democracy.
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Aug. 8, 2013
Months after the re-election of President Barack Obama, Dan Balz of the Washington Post examines the 2012 election and aftermath in his new book "Collision 2012: Obama vs. Romney and the Future of Elections in America." Balz joins Gwen Ifill to discuss significant moments in each campaign and why it may shape elections to come.
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Aug. 5, 2013
In his book "The Art of Controversy: Political Cartoons and Their Enduring Power," Victor Navasky looks at caricatures drawn by renowned artists, illustrations that have irked dictators and drawings that shaped modern American icons. In a photo essay, NewsHour examines a collection of cartoons that rocked art and politics.
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July 24, 2013
The last official declaration of war from the U.S. Congress was in 1941, but the United States has been engaged in frequent military conflict since then. Ray Suarez sits down with Marvin Kalb to discuss the evolving power of the president in his book "The Road to War: Presidential Commitments Honored and Betrayed."
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July 22, 2013
While not always considered high art, journalist Victor Navasky says the power of cartoons to provoke and amuse is so strong that their creators can end up famous, jailed or dead. Navasky joins political editor Christina Bellantoni to discuss "The Art of Controversy," a look at how cartoons have shaped politics worldwide.
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July 15, 2013
Margaret Warner talks to journalist Alfredo Corchado about his new book, "Midnight in Mexico: A Reporter's Journey Through a Country's Descent Into Darkness," which draws on his nearly 20 years of reporting and on his personal relationship with his birth land.
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July 8, 2013
Frederick Douglass traveling through Ireland in 1845; the first non-stop flight across the Atlantic in 1919; Sen. George Mitchell in 1998 trying to forge peace in Northern Ireland. Those actual people and events are at the heart of a the new novel "TransAtlantic." Author Colum McCann talks to Jeffrey Brown about his latest book.
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July 3, 2013
As Americans kick off celebrations for Independence Day, PBS NewsHour staff have shared their favorite books about the American experience, including presidential biographies, Alaskan murder mysteries and histories of U.S. energy and the Great Migration.
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July 2, 2013
Author Walter Mosley recently joined Jeffrey Brown for a conversation on the PBS NewsHour about his latest novel, "Little Green." Now you can read a passage from that new book.
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June 24, 2013
According to Bruce Katz and Jennifer Bradley, local officials are searching for new ways to innovate and make urban centers more livable. Judy Woodruff talks with Katz and Bradley, authors of "The Metropolitan Revolution," about major moves at U.S. city halls to breath new life into the American economy and democracy.
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June 21, 2013
Author and journalist Jeff Chu joins Ray Suarez to talk about his personal journey coming to terms with being Christian and gay. In his book, "Does Jesus Really Love Me?", Chu discusses the choices made by gay Christians trying to reconcile their lives, identities and faith.
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June 13, 2013
Walter Mosley, author of more than 40 books, has written a new crime novel. Ezekiel "Easy" Rawlins, Mosley's fictional private eye and one of the best-known, longest-running characters in American literature, was last seen driving off a cliff. But "Little Green" brings him back to life.
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June 13, 2013
The last time readers heard from detective Easy Rawlins, he was driving off a cliff. But Rawlins, one of the best-known characters in American literature, returns -- alive -- in a new novel called "Little Green." Jeffrey Brown talks to author Walter Mosley about his new book and more.
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June 10, 2013
Ray Suarez talks with writer Emily Anthes about the sometimes wild and weird outcomes when scientists experiment on animals. In her new book, "Frankenstein's Cat: Cuddling up to Biotech's Brave New Beasts," Anthes looks at the ethical limits of -- and our emotional reactions to -- the use of animals to explore biotechnology.
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June 10, 2013
In a web exclusive interview, Emily Anthes, author of the book, "Frankenstein's Cat," talks to Ray Suarez about the ethical limits of using animals in biotech research and development.
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June 7, 2013
Ti-Anna Wang is the daughter of a once prominent Chinese dissident, who named her in honor of the deadly protests in Tiananmen Square. The story of Wang's search for her father, who was arrested in 2002, inspired a new young adult novel. Gwen Ifill talks with Wang and The Washington Post's Fred Hiatt, author of "Nine Days."
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June 6, 2013
In honor of the 69th anniversary of D-Day, Ray Suarez talks to historian Rick Atkinson about his new book, "The Guns at Last Light," which chronicles the brutal fight for victory at the end of World War II.
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June 3, 2013
In his new book, "Clean: Overcoming Addiction and Ending America's Greatest Tragedy," journalist David Sheff outlines a slew of reasons why addiction treatments largely fail to help 20 million people struggling with the disease. Judy Woodruff talks to Sheff about why the stigma of addiction has hurt addicts seeking to get clean.
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May 27, 2013
Judy Woodruff talks with journalist and author Robert Kaiser about his new book, "Act of Congress: How America's Essential Institution Works, and How it Doesn't." Kaiser explores how members of Congress reshaped Wall Street regulations after the 2008 financial crisis.
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May 27, 2013
Gabriel Schoenfeld says when he sat down to outline flaws that cost Mitt Romney the presidential race last fall, he knew he would lose some friends. But he penned "A Bad Day on the Romney Campaign: An Insider's Account," because he felt detailing a single day in the race and what went wrong could be instructive for his party.
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May 24, 2013
Margaret Warner gets a behind-the-scenes look at the making of U.S. foreign policy from former State Department official Vali Nasr. His new book, "The Dispensable Nation: American Foreign Policy in Retreat," critiques the Obama administration's handling of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Middle East.