Books/Poetry

American poet Amanda Gorman reads a poem during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. (Patrick Semansky/AP)

For Young Writers, Poet Amanda Gorman Serves As Inspiration

With Gorman's inaugural poem "The Hill We Climb," a group of local students saw a peer brave enough to speak steadily and confront the country at such a pivotal time.

The ARTery

03:55Jan 26, 2021

Ed Siegel's BFFs: Miles Davis, Bob Dylan and Leonard Bernstein. (Carol Towson for WBUR)

The Artful Path To Quit Smoking, With A Bit Of Hypnosis — And A Whole Lot Of CDs

One man's path to putting cigarettes in the rearview mirror, with help from CDs and books.

The ARTery

Jan 26, 2021

The cover of Charles Wheelan's new book "We Came, We Saw, We Left: A Family Gap Year." (Courtesy W. W. Norton & Company)

Travelogue 'We Came, We Saw, We Left' Attempts To Squeeze Meaning Out Of A Year Of Family Travel

Author Charles Wheelan’s book follows a nine-month, global grand tour with his wife and their three children.

The ARTery

Jan 25, 2021

10 Books That Will Transport You Anywhere But Here This Winter

Featuring works by New England authors, these 10 titles will transport you to other worlds while we all eagerly await our turns for the COVID-19 vaccine.

The ARTery

Jan 15, 2021

Author Julia Cameron. (Courtesy Robert Stivers)

Julia Cameron's 'The Listening Path' Carves A Compassionate Way Forward

The author provides tools for artists to reclaim their intuitive and creative power. The book asks artists to go deeper by honing and fine tuning the act of attentive listening.

The ARTery

Jan 13, 2021

Arts engagement producer Arielle Gray selects books you should add to your 2021 reading list. (Courtesy of the publishers)

Books To Add To Your Reading List In 2021

Whether you're into nonfiction, fantasy or YA, we've put together this list of books we think would be a good addition to your "To Read" list.

The ARTery

Dec 29, 2020

John le Carrė arrives for the UK film premiere of the remake of "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" in 2011. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)

Lunching With Le Carré — The Dish On Sean Connery And Tom Stoppard Over A Dish Of Wollaston Clams

Critic at large Ed Siegel remembers a lively day at the beach with the great spy novelist, who died Saturday.

The ARTery

Dec 17, 2020

Fred Taylor in his office in Allston. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

In Posthumous Memoir, Jazz Impresario Fred Taylor Reflects On 60 Years In The Music Business

Taylor, who died last year, worked on his memoir during the last years of his life, relaying his favorite stories to Boston jazz historian and co-author Richard Vacca.

The ARTery

Dec 7, 2020

The cover of James Patterson's book, "The Last Days of John Lennon," written with Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge. (Courtesy Little, Brown and Company)

Author James Patterson Explores 'The Last Days Of John Lennon' 40 Years After His Assassination

A collaboration with Boston-based true crime writers Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge, the book examines Lennon’s early life, years spent with The Beatles and his projects with Yoko Ono.

The ARTery

Dec 4, 2020

The main entrance of Wonderland Park depicted in a postcard from 1906. (Courtesy Stephen R. Wilk)

New Book 'Lost Wonderland' Sheds Light On Revere's Forgotten Amusement Park

Stephen R. Wilk’s book delves into the history of the park’s then state-of-the-art attractions and doesn’t shy away from condemning its large number of racist exhibitions.

The ARTery

Oct 30, 2020

Brandy Bard sent out a letter and photographs in a bottle to honor her cousin Star Lynn Douillard who died in February. (Dorey Scheimer/WBUR)

Trip In A Bottle Found On Martha's Vineyard

A New York woman is honoring her cousin by sending a message in a bottle on an ocean voyage.

The ARTery

Oct 28, 2020

President Barack Obama presents the National Humanities Medal to poet Louise Gluck during an East Room ceremony at the White House on Sept. 22, 2016, in Washington, D.C. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Cambridge Poet Louise Glück Named 2020 Nobel Laureate In Literature

Glück is the very first American woman to receive this award for writing poetry since the literature category was established in 1901.

The ARTery

Oct 9, 2020

Signs in a bookstore window in Brunswick, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

9 Books For Fall To Get You Through A Year Like No Other

From a guide for change-makers fighting for a just world to a novel about a conniving woman who controls generations of her estranged family, a list of must-read books for...

The ARTery

Sep 24, 2020

Left to right, Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci star in Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas." (Courtesy JustWatch)

Reflecting On The Legacy Of 'Goodfellas' 30 Years On

“So much of ‘Goodfellas’ has been absorbed into popular culture over the past three decades it’s sometimes difficult to remember just how radical -- even dangerous -- it felt back...

The ARTery

Sep 15, 2020

The cover of Janella Angeles' debut novel "Where Dreams Descend." (Courtesy Wednesday Books)

In Debut Novel 'Where Dreams Descend,' Author Janella Angeles Explores The Magic Of Perseverance

The novel tells the story of Kallia, a showgirl who escapes her dark past by entering a competition to prove her worth as a highly-skilled magician.

The ARTery

Aug 24, 2020

A woman reads a book as people enjoy the hot weather in Greenwich Park, London, as people flock to parks and beaches with lockdown measures eased. (Photo by Dominic Lipinski/PA Images via Getty Images)

We Asked, You Answered: Books For The Dog Days Of Summer

Here's what our readers recommended for some end-of-summer reading.

The ARTery

Aug 19, 2020

The cover of Charlie Kaufman's debut novel "Antkind." (Courtesy Random House)

Charlie Kaufman's Debut Novel 'Antkind' Is Full Of Zingers And Petty Paybacks

The 720-page book follows frustrated film critic B. Rosenberger Rosenberg to the end of civilization and beyond as he attempts to review a movie so enormous he can’t wrap his...

The ARTery

Jul 31, 2020

A still from "Rolling Thunder Review: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese." (Courtesy Netflix)

From Camus' 'The Plague' To Dylan's 'Rough And Rowdy Ways,' Sad Is The New Happy

The seemingly all-pervasive melancholy of the day isn't divorced from a sense of affirmation, says critic at large Ed Siegel.

The ARTery

Jul 29, 2020

Sara Faith Alterman Shares Humor And Heartbreak In Memoir 'Let's Never Talk About This Again'

The book is a tribute to her father Ira’s influence on her sense of humor and writing career, framed by his battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.

The ARTery

Jul 28, 2020

The cover of Laura van den Berg's collection "I Hold a Wolf by the Ears." (Courtesy Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

In Collection 'I Hold A Wolf By The Ears,' Women Are Haunted By A Series Of Entitled Men

In Laura van den Berg’s stories, the women are haunted. By menacing husbands, abusive boyfriends, or male strangers who feel entitled to their attention, their bodies, or their inner pain.

The ARTery

Jul 27, 2020

1A

For Young Writers, Poet Amanda Gorman Serves As Inspiration

The Artful Path To Quit Smoking, With A Bit Of Hypnosis — And A Whole Lot Of CDs

Travelogue 'We Came, We Saw, We Left' Attempts To Squeeze Meaning Out Of A Year Of Family Travel

10 Books That Will Transport You Anywhere But Here This Winter

Julia Cameron's 'The Listening Path' Carves A Compassionate Way Forward

Books To Add To Your Reading List In 2021

Lunching With Le Carré — The Dish On Sean Connery And Tom Stoppard Over A Dish Of Wollaston Clams

In Posthumous Memoir, Jazz Impresario Fred Taylor Reflects On 60 Years In The Music Business

Author James Patterson Explores 'The Last Days Of John Lennon' 40 Years After His Assassination

New Book 'Lost Wonderland' Sheds Light On Revere's Forgotten Amusement Park

Trip In A Bottle Found On Martha's Vineyard

Cambridge Poet Louise Glück Named 2020 Nobel Laureate In Literature

9 Books For Fall To Get You Through A Year Like No Other

Reflecting On The Legacy Of 'Goodfellas' 30 Years On

In Debut Novel 'Where Dreams Descend,' Author Janella Angeles Explores The Magic Of Perseverance

We Asked, You Answered: Books For The Dog Days Of Summer

Charlie Kaufman's Debut Novel 'Antkind' Is Full Of Zingers And Petty Paybacks

From Camus' 'The Plague' To Dylan's 'Rough And Rowdy Ways,' Sad Is The New Happy

Sara Faith Alterman Shares Humor And Heartbreak In Memoir 'Let's Never Talk About This Again'

In Collection 'I Hold A Wolf By The Ears,' Women Are Haunted By A Series Of Entitled Men