Aug 21 Watch 6:25 'Mrs. Fletcher' becomes an object of desire in Tom Perrotta's new novel By PBS News Hour Suburbia, sex and a touch of the supernatural are familiar themes for novelist Tom Perrotta, author of “Election,” “The Leftovers” and “Little Children.” In his new book “Mrs. Fletcher,” Perrotta offers a story about an empty-nester who adopts a new… Continue watching
Aug 17 Watch 3:39 What Calvin Trillin learned from his college writing course By PBS News Hour As a longtime writer for The New Yorker, Calvin Trillin was less interested in directly explaining why what he was writing was important than in just telling a good story. Trillin offers his Brief but Spectacular take on some of… Continue watching
Aug 08 Watch 5:03 In 'Transit,' novelist Rachel Cusk tells story of rebuilding a house and a life By PBS News Hour In "Transit," a new novel by Rachel Cusk, a woman and her two sons prepare to begin a new life. The second book in a planned trilogy, her novel is gaining acclaim for the writing and form. Cusk joins Jeffrey… Continue watching
Jul 06 Watch 3:34 Why I used to love making jokes about Helen Keller By PBS News Hour Growing up, Georgina Kleege hated Helen Keller; she saw the famous author and activist as a reproach to her own experience as a young blind woman. But she found a new way to relate to Keller later on, writing her… Continue watching
Jun 16 Watch 3:12 I ignored advice and followed my boyfriend to a new city after college. Here's why By PBS News Hour Caroline Kitchener grew up hearing that strong women don't need to rely on a partner to have a happy and successful life. But after graduating college, her values clashed with real life: She decided to move to a new city… Continue watching
May 29 Watch 8:13 Louise Erdrich and Emma Straub share summer reads you won't want to put down By PBS News Hour Whether you open a book on a sunny beach, or prefer staying up late while glued to a page-turner, we tend to look forward to our summer reading. Jeffrey Brown gets suggestions from two writers who also own their own… Continue watching
May 17 Watch 6:50 Sen. Sasse: Americans need to have confidence FBI is insulated from politics By PBS News Hour Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., joins John Yang to discuss the latest turmoil surrounding President Trump and various pathways for investigating Russian election meddling, the necessity of protecting institutions like the FBI from politicization, what’s lacking in today’s policy discussions in… Continue watching
Apr 15 The 8 books librarians can't stop talking about right now By Elizabeth Flock For National Library Week, we asked the New York Public Library -- the largest library in the country and one of the most beloved -- what we should be reading right now. Continue reading
Apr 12 Watch 6:18 This 'Refugee' author explains what it's like to live between worlds By PBS News Hour What does the word "refugee" mean to the author of a short story collection called "The Refugees"? They “are the unwanted," says Viet Thanh Nguyen, who claims his own identity among them. Nguyen joins Jeffrey Brown to discuss his stories… Continue watching
Dec 27 4 more books our critics loved this year By Travis Daub What were the best books of 2016? Best-selling authors Jacqueline Woodson and Daniel Pink shared their favorites on our show, but we couldn't fit all their picks. Here are 4 more favorites. Continue reading