NPR Book News and Reviews
The following book news and reviews are presented via RSS feed from National Public Radio (NPR) for the benefit of our patrons. The opinions expressed are those of the individual authors, and do not reflect the views of the Wauwatosa Library, its staff, volunteers or associated governing and philanthropic bodies.
- ‘Charlie Chan:’ An Imaginary Cartoonist Draws A Very Real Homeland
Charlie Chan Hock Chye is one of Singapore's great unsung cartoonists. He's also imaginary — the virtuosic invention of comic artist Sonny Liew, who's created a realistic mix of comics and history. ... More - ‘The Yid’ Blends Soviet Fact And FictionPaul Goldberg's audacious new novel trades in rumor and anecdote, conjuring a time of Antisemitism and violence in 1950's Moscow. ... More
- ‘Borderline’ Is Urban Fantasy With A Cinematic PunchMishell Baker's new fantasy novel follows filmmaker Millie Roper as she manages her mental and physical issues while hunting down a missing fairy nobleman — and trying to make a career in Hollywood. ... More
- Provocative Book Explores The Connection Between Loneliness And ArtOlivia Laing surveys the landscape of urban alienation in her new book, a work that is part-memoir and part-criticism. Critic Maureen Corrigan says The Lonely City is "absolutely one of a kind." ... More
- ‘Lonely City’ Is More Than A Cry For ConnectionWriter Olivia Laing recalls her days as an expatriate Brit in New York in her new book, a meditation on modern life and loneliness. It's a lonely read, too, but full of heart-piercing wisdom. ... More
- Placid Madonnas Please Antisocial Men Of Genius In ‘Almanac’In A Doubter's Almanac, Ethan Canin tells the story of a book-smart man — "a topologist, who can map the world but not the heart." ... More
- ‘Version Control’ Is A Dizzying Elevation Of The Time-Travel TaleDon't call it a time machine! Dexter Palmer's new novel follows a professor who's invented what he calls a "causality violation device" — and his wife, who suspects her world is going strange. ... More
- Simon & Schuster Launches Imprint For Muslim Children’s BooksThe books published by Salaam Reads will appeal to Muslim and non-Muslim readers alike, executive editor Zareej Jaffery says — and will represent a wide range of cultural traditions within Islam. ... More
- Plenty Of Shadows Loom In ‘Gathering’V.E. Schwab's follow-up to A Darker Shade of Magic picks up with heroes Kell and Delilah adventuring (and sometimes agonizing) in a magical alternate London while danger lurks in the titular shadows. ... More
- A Reference Guide To Reference In ‘You Could Look It Up’Encyclopedias, dictionaries and directories take on a life of their own in Jack Lynch's new book — a history of reference systems that becomes an examination of the nature of lexicography itself. ... More
- ‘We’ve Already Gone This Far’ Counts The Cost Of WarPatrick Dacey's debut story collection follows the people of a fictional Massachusetts town hit hard by war, weather and economic turmoil. Critic Michael Schaub praises Dacey's emotional honesty. ... More
- ‘Doubter’s Almanac’ Is A Family Saga, Plus Algebraic EquationsEthan Canin traces the complicated lives of two generations of mathematical geniuses in his new novel. Critic Maureen Corrigan calls it A Doubter's Almanac an "elegant and devastating novel." ... More
- Yet Another Teaching Memoir? A Teacher’s CritiqueRecent years have seen a proliferation of books about the struggles of rookie teachers. We asked a veteran New York City teacher to review The Battle for Room 314 by Ed Boland. ... More
- Lies We Tell Ourselves Propel ‘The Widow’Veteran reporter Fiona Barton brings a journalist's eye to her fiction debut, the story of a woman thrust into the spotlight after her husband — accused of a terrible crime — dies in an accident. ... More
- ‘How To Be A Tudor:’ Not As Stinky As You ThinkRuth Goodman — advisor to BBC productions like Wolf Hall — digs deep into the everyday life of Tudor England in her new book. Surprisingly, Elizabethan hygiene isn't as bad as you might think. ... More