Mar 17th, 2010 · Turkish novelist Elif Shafak's new novel, The Forty Rules of Love, takes us into the life of a middle-aged Jewish woman from central Massachusetts, who as a reader for a literary agent, has just picked up a copy of a novel by a modern Sufi mystic.
Mar 11th, 2010 · 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.
Mar 4th, 2010 · Novelist Barry Hannah died earlier this week. A native of Mississippi, Hannah won the William Faulkner Prize for his 1972 novel Geronimo Rex. Today, we remember the Southern author, who appeared on Fresh Air in 2001.
Feb 27th, 2010 · The latest novel from John Banville throws a handful of Greek gods into the household of a glum human family to explore sex, love, faith and mortality. Reviewer Maureen Corrigan says The Infinities puts Banville's literary gifts on prominent display.
Feb 19th, 2010 · In Joanna Murray-Smith's latest play, the actress stars as a feminist icon who has written such literary gems as Madame Ovary. "It's a grown-up play with lots of ideas and lots of debate," Bening tells NPR.
Feb 19th, 2010 · Novelist and playwright Dan Fante writes about alcoholism, drug addiction and failed attempts at literary success — all of which he has experienced himself. He discusses his novel, 86'd, battling his own emotional demons, and the process of reliving his past on paper.
Feb 10th, 2010 · Famed author Ralph Ellison, who wrote the literary classic "Invisible Man," was working on a second novel when he died of pancreatic cancer in 1994. Two editors were given access to his archive and have completed work on Ellison's final work, "Three Days Before the Shooting." Host Michel Martin speaks with the two editors — John Callahan, literary executor of the Ellison Estate, and Adam Bradley — about how they managed to complete Ellison's unfinished work.
Feb 3rd, 2010 · Mark Twain remains a beloved literary figure even a century after his death, but in his new book, Mark Twain: Man In White, Michael Shelden says the author's last years were extremely tumultuous — and widely misunderstood. Shelden explores Twain's emotional struggles and triumphs, and describes the complex relationships in the years before his death.