Books

Trying To Bridge The Divide Over Abortion

February 4, 2013
Demonstrators both for and against abortion rights protest in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, Friday, Jan. 25, 2013. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP)

Author Roland Merullo was raised Catholic and has friends on both sides of the abortion debate. He says the two sides should have one goal: reducing unwanted pregnancies.

If Barnes & Noble Goes Under, Will Publishing Survive?

February 1, 2013
Shoppers leave a Barnes and Noble store  in South Burlington, Vt. in November 2010. (Toby Talbot/AP)

The co-founder of an independent publishing company is predicting that if Barnes & Noble fails, it could bring the whole publishing industry down with it.

Debut Novel ‘Starboard Sea’ Is Making Waves

January 28, 2013
Author Amber Dermont. ( T.W. Meyer)

Amber Dermont’s first novel, “The Starboard Sea,” mines Dermont’s experiences attending and teaching at prep schools, as well as her love of sailing and the sea.

How Blacks And Whites Remember Martin Luther King Jr.

January 21, 2013
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. speaks in front of the United Nations during a peace parade in New York on April 15, 1967. (AP)

In his book “April 4, 1968,” Michael Eric Dyson writes about how blacks and whites have shaped different images of the late civil rights leader.

11 Great Books Recently Translated Into English

January 17, 2013
A collection of poems by the late Uruguayan novelist Mario Benedetti, pictured here in 2005, is among the recently translated works recommended by Jim Kates. (Marcelo Casacuberta/AP)

There is plenty of great literature that we miss out on because it’s not written in English. We take a look at some excellent books that have recently been translated into English.

Watching De Niro Play Your Dad, In A Movie About You

January 16, 2013
Nick Flynn's latest memoir is "The Reenactments." (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

In Nick Flynn’s latest memoir, “The Reenactments,” he writes about the strange experience of having his life turned into a movie starring Robert De Niro and Julianne Moore.

Corrupt Juvenile Justice Leaves Mark On Pa. Kids

January 15, 2013
Former Luzerne County judges Mark Ciavarella (left) and Michael Conahan (right) were convicted in 2011 of taking millions of dollars in kickbacks to send youth offenders to for-profit detention facilities. They are both pictured leaving the federal courthouse in Scranton, Pa. in February 2009. (David Kidwell/AP)

In the infamous “kids for cash” scandal, two Pennsylvania judges took money in exchange for sending thousands of kids to privately-run detention centers, often for extremely minor offenses.

Haiti Earthquake: 3 Years After ‘The Big Truck That Went By’

January 10, 2013
Six-year-old Charles Kerby hold his 11-month-old sister Mikerlina Dragon inside the Ste Therese camp, set up for people displaced by the 2010 earthquake, in Petion-Ville, Haiti, in June 2012. Kerby had to drop out of school after the 2010 earthquake to help his working mother care for his two brothers and sisters. (Dieu Nalio Chery/AP)

Jonathan Katz was the only full-time American correspondent in Haiti when the 2010 earthquake hit. He survived and wrote a book, “The Big Truck That Went By: How The World Came To Save Haiti And Left Behind A Disaster.”

Spider-Man Is Dead, Long Live Spider-Man

January 4, 2013
The 700th issue of "The Amazing Spider-Man." (Photo Courtesy)

In the latest edition of the Amazing Spider-Man, Peter Parker’s mind dies in his archrival Doctor Octopus’ body and the evil doctor’s mind takes over Spider-Man’s body.

Author: Newtown Answers May Never Come

January 4, 2013
Portraits of slain students and teachers hang from a tree at a memorial in Newtown, Conn. Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012. (AP/Craig Ruttle)

A lingering question over these mass shootings is: Why? Were there any warning signs, and if they had been spotted, could they have been prevented?

Richard Ford’s ‘Canada’ Among Best Books Of 2012

December 26, 2012
Author Richard Ford sits outside his boat house by Linekin Bay near his house in East Boothbay, Maine, in 2007. (Pat Wellenbach/AP)

“First, I’ll tell about the robbery our parents committed. Then about the murders, which happened later.” That’s how Richard Ford begins his first novel in six years, “Canada.”

Wally Lamb’s Christmas Story

December 25, 2012
Wally Lamb is author of "Wishin' and Hopin': A Christmas Story" (Christine Lamb)

Best-selling author Wally Lamb usually writes big sprawling books about difficult subjects. But his book “Wishin’ and Hopin’: A Christmas Story” is a breezy novella perfect for the holiday season.

Lessons From A Legendary Gardener

December 21, 2012
English garden designer Rosemary Verey is pictured in the famous garden at Barnsley House, which she designed.

Rosemary Verey was the must-have garden adviser to the rich and famous, including Prince Charles and Elton John. She found her career late in life, and loved her garden just as much in winter as in summer.

The Enduring Appeal Of ‘Hallelujah’

December 20, 2012
Leonard Cohen performs during the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. in 2009. (Chris Pizzello/AP)

When Leonard Cohen recorded his song “Hallelujah” in 1984, his record label rejected it. When it finally came out, it didn’t get any attention. Since then, it’s become one of the most familiar songs in the world.

Gun Control On The National And State Agenda

December 19, 2012

In the wake of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, the state treasurer has directed managers of the state pension fund to re-evaluate investments in guns and ammunition.

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