Remembering 'The Grapes Of Wrath'
John Steinbeck's landmark novel about Oklahoma farmers after the Dust Bowl of the 1930s celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.
Steinbeck's 'The Grapes Of Wrath' Marks 75th Anniversary
John Steinbeck's landmark novel tells the story of Oklahoma farmers migrating to California after the dust bowl of the 1930s.
Revisiting Mark Twain's Autobiography
"The Autobiography of Mark Twain: Volume 1" was published in 2010, 100 years after Twain's death, per his request.
Why We Still Read 'The Great Gatsby'
As the sixth film adaptation of "The Great Gatsby" opens in theaters across the country, literary critic Steve Almond says he re-reads the book every summer.
Steve Almond On Writing In Dialects: 'Sometimes Ye Jist Dae It'
Steve Almond takes a look at how dialects and accents are used in books from Irvin Welsh's new novel "Skagboys" to Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."
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Why 'Red' Outsells 'Blue' In The Book Market
A new survey by Amazon finds that Americans are reading far more right-leaning or "red" books.
Summer Music Listener Picks
From the "Summertime" remix by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince to Kinnie Starr's "Praise," listeners share their favorite summer songs.
What Makes A Good Summer Song?
For our literary critic Steve Almond, Chuck Prophet's "Summertime Thing" is a perfect summer song. "It just relaxes me," he says. Tell us your favorite summer music.
Much Ado About Pulitzer
No Pulitzer in fiction? Good, says author Steve Almond, because people focus too much on the prize and not enough on the literature.
Writer Steve Almond Looks At Life In America
Steve Almond's new short story collection looks at life in the U.S. "We got wars going on, we have people who are chasing dreams that they're not going to live...
Ernest Hemingway-- Beyond The Machismo
This coming Saturday marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Nobel Prize winning author Ernest Hemingway. In recent years, Hemingway has been caricatured as an example of excessive machismo,...
Musical Disasters That Entertain
A new show, "This Has Been A Disaster, Thanks For Having Us," channels rock musicians' stories of concerts gone bad, equipment gone missing and crushingly bad reviews.
Psychiatrist Explores Dark Side Of Motherhood
Writers from Erma Bombeck to Anne Lamott have confessed to harboring dark thoughts about their children, even though they loved them dearly. Psychiatrist Dr. Barbara Almond calls it the hidden...
Steve Almond's Favorite Fall Books
Here & Now literary critic Steve Almond has some suggestions for good books to cuddle up with as winter approaches.
Rundown 10/25
In The Homestretch, Florida Gov. Candidates Make Final Impressions, The Foreclosure Crisis Could Lead To Title Insurance Mayhem, The Fishy Cases Of Some Japanese Centenarians, Power Of The Tweeter: Companies...
Rundown 7/28
The Pros And Cons Of Renting Vs. Buying, The Downside Of Air Conditioning, Obama Administration Deports Record Number Of Illegal Immigrants, From Hanson To An Afghani-American Voice: Listeners Share Summer...
Rundown 6/28
Supreme Court Strikes Down Gun Ban As Kagan Nomination Hearings Begin, Mother Searches For Bone Marrow Match For Multi-Racial Son, Reflects On Challenges, Senator Robert Byrd Dies At 92, Study...
What Are You Listening To This Summer?
We want to know what's on your playlist this summer, but to start us off, we asked Here and Now literary critic and self-confessed, drooling, fanatic rock fan Steve Almond...
Rundown 4/23
Senators Put Credit Ratings Agencies In Hot Seat, Teachers Nationwide Face Layoffs & A Way To Tackle The Racial Achievement Gap, Deadline Approaches On Arizona Immigration Law, Listener Letters, Looking...
Excerpt: 'Rock And Roll Will Save Your Life'
Author Steve Almond is a self-proclaimed "drooling fanatic" when it comes to Rock and Roll. Read an excerpt from his new book.