Apr 16 Publisher won’t distribute book by officer who shot Breonna Taylor By Associated Press The Louisville police officer who fired at Breonna Taylor after being shot during the deadly raid on Taylor's apartment is writing a book, but it won't be distributed as planned by publishing giant Simon & Schuster. Continue reading
Apr 07 Watch 8:43 Why Jimmy Carter may be the most misunderstood president in American history Jimmy Carter lost his White House re-election bid over 40 years ago and his presidency is often remembered for hard economic times and the Iran hostage crisis. But author and historian Jonathan Alter argues in his latest book, “His Very… Continue watching
Mar 18 You will stan this modern retelling of ‘Beowulf’ By Joshua Barajas, Jeffrey Brown Maria Dahvana Headley, whose new translation of “Beowulf” came out last year, wanted to build onto the thousand-year-old poem’s long history. Part of its staying power, Headly said, is how its themes — heroes and villains, how to ensure safety,… Continue reading
Feb 26 Watch 4:47 Author Charles Yu on using satire to point out Asian American stereotypes By Jeffrey Brown, Courtney Vinopal The February pick for our ‘Now Read This’ book club was “Interior Chinatown," winner of the 2020 National Book Award. It’s a funny and biting satire of stereotypes of Asian Americans in popular culture. The book's author, Charles Yu, also… Continue watching
Jan 29 WATCH: Jia Tolentino on what role online shaming plays in the COVID era By Joshua Barajas The "Trick Mirror" author said there was a social media-driven behavior she has mixed feelings about: People hiding any behavior from their online communities that would draw shame during the global health emergency. Continue reading
Dec 29 Watch 8:08 Booksellers look back at the best titles of 2020 By Jeffrey Brown, Rhana Natour In a year of isolation and pain, book sales are up as many turn to reading for a distraction, understanding and pleasure. Jeffrey Brown talks to two booksellers for our look at the year in books. Continue watching
Dec 14 Publishing saw upheaval in 2020, but ‘books are resilient’ By Hillel Italie, Associated Press Book publishing had a year like no other in 2020, and yet proved remarkably stable. Through a pandemic, a called off convention, release postponements and debates over diversity, book sales managed a steady pace. Continue reading
Nov 27 Watch 6:53 How independent bookstores are weathering tough economic times By Jeffrey Brown, Anne Azzi Davenport These are perilous times for independent bookstores. More than one independent bookstore has closed each week since the pandemic began, and 20 percent across the country are in danger of closing, according to a recent study by the American Booksellers… Continue watching
Nov 10 What Don DeLillo dreads — and finds compelling — about a blank screen By Jeffrey Brown In Don DeLillo's new novel “The Silence,” all screens go dark and technology fails. That very lack of knowing, in the short distance between us and our screens, is the space in which this novel unfolds. Continue reading
Nov 09 Why you can expect new books about Trump for years to come By Hillel Italie, Associated Press It's been one of publishing's most thriving genres of the past four years: books about President Donald Trump. And it's not going to end when he leaves office. Continue reading