NPR Books

It took over five years for Nathaniel Rich to finish his first novel — maybe because he was writing The Mayor's Tongue secretly, first as a college student, and then while writing film criticism during the day.

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The tiny, no-frills automobile imported from communist Yugoslavia during the 1980s is known to most Americans as the butt of many car jokes. Author Jason Vuic's book about the car, The Yugo: The Rise and Fall of the Worst Car in History, reveals why it's the most famous lemon in automotive history.

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The first numbers that come to mind when thinking about Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland might be how much money the movie is raking in at the box office. But mathematicians say the books are full of algebraic lessons — such as why a raven is like a writing desk.

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Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ted Morgan's Valley of Death is the story of the brutal conflict — a fight led by the French to re-establish colonial rule in Vietnam — that led to the Vietnam War. The battle of Dien Bien Phu lasted months, but the fallout lasted decades.

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The New Testament contains multiple versions of the life and teachings of Jesus. Bart Ehrman, the author of Jesus, Interrupted,, says they are at odds with each other on important points regarding the life, death and divinity of Jesus.

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The electronic publishing revolution is under way, and for consumers, it could mean paying less than ever for books. But some publishers fear lower prices could spell the end of the industry.

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Los Angeles is home to nearly 86,000 gang members. When they want to quit "gang banging," many call Fr. Gregory Boyle, a Jesuit priest. Father G, founder of Homeboy Industries, talks about his book, Tattoos On The Heart.

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Author Jeannette Walls shares the story of her unusual upbringing, living like a nomad with her bohemian family as they moved among Southwest desert towns and camped in the mountains, in The Glass Castle.

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In Brooklyn, which traces a woman's journey from Ireland to New York in the 1950s, Colm Toibin weaves a classic tale of immigration and the loneliness that follows.

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In Making Rounds With Oscar, Dr. David Dosa, a geriatrician, tells the story of a cat ordinary in every way except for its uncanny ability to predict when people in the Steere House nursing home are about to die.

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While the Abraham Lincoln is widely lauded for saving the Union and freeing millions of slaves, his valiant fight against the forces of the undead has remained in the shadows for hundreds of years. Seth Grahame-Smith, author of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, sheds light on the "true" story.

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The first novel by Danielle Trussoni follows the struggle between nefarious human-angel hybrids and the band of mortals trying to keep them in check. Trussoni, author of the acclaimed memoir Falling Through the Earth, maintains a balance between literary artistry and complex adventure.

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The South African cleric and human-rights activist Desmond Tutu joins Renee Montagne to reflect on his long life and his lasting message about forgiveness and reconciliation. His new book, Made for Goodness, is an explanation of his personal sense of spirituality and an invitation to share in his beliefs about the basic goodness of humanity.

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