Books & Literature

In the new autobiographical novel "Live Fast," Brigitte Giraud looks back at the accident that killed her husband. She speculates on the many ways that tragedy could have turned out differently. The book won the French equivalent of the Booker Prize.

Maureen Corrigan reviews the new memoir from Geraldine Brooks titled "Memorial Days"

Author Brittany Newell, who loves to write about the secret worlds of others, the things people do, she says, that make their lives more bearable. Her newest novel, "Soft Core," takes the reader into San Francisco's underworld of dive bars, strip clubs and BDSM dungeons, where tech bros, executives and outcasts live out their fantasies.

The new Bob Dylan movie has put our book critic, Maureen Corrigan, in a New York state of mind. Here's her review of two quintessential New York books.

Author Ricky Riccardi says Armstrong's innovations as a trumpeter and vocalist helped set the entire soundtrack of the 20th century. His new book about Armstrong's early life is Stomp Off, Let's Go.

scholar Imani Perry about her new book, "Black In Blues." It's a fascinating meditation on the color blue and how it is intertwined with the concept of Blackness from the dying of indigo cloths in West Africa to Louis Armstrong's question, what did I do to be so black-and-blue? Imani Perry is the National Book Award-winning author of "South To America," as well as several other books including "Looking For Lorraine," which is a biography of the playwright Lorraine Hansberry, and "Breathe: A Letter To My Sons."

Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, now a feature film, is based on a notorious Florida reform school where boys were beaten and sexually abused. Originally broadcast July 16, 2019.

Pico Iyer. For decades, he's written books and articles about travel, describing cultures and religions around the world. His new memoir is about the many times he's gone on retreats to a Benedictine monastery in Big Sur, California to practice silence and contemplation. It's called "Aflame," and it's also about the wildfire flames that have threatened the monastery many times and burned down the home he grew up in while he was living there.

July's been surprised by the reaction to her novel, which centers on a 45-year-old married woman who has an erotic affair: "I've had people tell me that ... it was all there, all their true feelings."

Maureen Corrigan's picks for the best books of the year range from alternative history to suspense and satire to some of the most extraordinary letters ever written.

Niall Williams' popular novel, "Four Letters Of Love," is being made into a movie starring Pierce Brosnan and Helena Bonham Carter. His new novel is called "Time Of The Child," and our book critic Maureen Corrigan has this review.

Allison, who died Nov. 6, based her critically acclaimed novel on her own experience of being physically and sexually abused by her stepfather. Originally broadcast in 1992.

In Price's novel, a Harlem apartment building collapses, upending the lives of its residents, including a photographer, a funeral director and a 42-year-old man who feels he has little to live for.

Pacino says the initial script for the Godfather sequel was so bad he nearly passed on the project — until it was rewritten. The Oscar-winning actor looks back on his life in the memoir Sonny Boy.

Alex Van Halen is a founding member of the rock band Van Halen. His new memoir is called "Brothers."

Eliza Griswold is the author of the new book "Circle Of Hope." It's nominated for a National Book Award.

Novelist Nick Harkaway. He's written a new novel called "Karla's Choice." It's set in the world of his father John le Carre's spy novels.

Maureen Corrigan reviewed "Blood Test" by Charles Baxter.

Bridget Everett stars in the semi-autobiographical series "Somebody Somewhere," which begins its third season on HBO Sunday, October 27.

Chilean author Alia Trabucco Zeran's 2015 debut novel, "The Remainder," was a finalist for the International Booker Prize. Her nonfiction book, "When Women Kill," was a finalist for the 2023 National Book Critic Circle Award in Criticism. Her latest novel is called "Clean." Our book critic Maureen Corrigan says the world it depicts is anything but.