Lynn Neary

What's In A Category? 'Women Novelists' Spark Wiki-Controversy

Lynn Neary — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:00:00 +0000

It all started one night when writer Amanda Filipacchi was browsing through Wikipedia and noticed an absence of women under the category "American novelists." At first, she thought the female writers being moved off the page were not important enough to be on it.

'Burgess Boys' Author, Like Her Characters, Finds Refuge In New York

Lynn Neary — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 21:03:00 +0000

Elizabeth Strout, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book Olive Kitteridge, sets much of her work in Maine, where her family has lived for eight generations. But Strout herself has lived most of her adult life in New York. In her new novel, The Burgess Boys, she writes for the first time about the city she now calls home.

On a late winter afternoon, Strout visited Parke Slope, the Brooklyn neighborhood where much of the story is set.

Amazon Could Expand Recommendation Services With Goodreads Purchase

Lynn Neary — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 20:46:00 +0000

Transcript

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

Online retailer Amazon has acquired Goodreads. It's a popular site where people who love to read exchange reviews and recommendations about books. As NPR's Lynn Neary reports, Amazon now has a powerful new tool for enhancing its customers' ability to find out about books they might want to buy.

LYNN NEARY, BYLINE: In 2007, Otis and Elizabeth Chandler started Goodreads in their living room. They wanted to create an online community of readers who could talk to each other about books. Now, Goodreads is the world's largest book recommendation site.

How Ellen DeGeneres Helped Change The Conversation About Gays

Lynn Neary — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 20:18:00 +0000

In 2008, during the brief window when it was legal for same-sex couples to get married in California, perhaps no couple drew more attention than Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi.

After their wedding, photos of the couple were everywhere; DeGeneres, beaming, in a white suit and holding hands with de Rossi, the very picture of the princess bride so many young girls dream of being one day.

'Wave' Tells A True Story Of Survival And Loss In The 2004 Tsunami

Lynn Neary — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 08:40:00 +0000

On Dec. 26, 2004, Sonali Deraniyagala was vacationing with her husband, her two sons and her parents in Yala, Sri Lanka. The day was just beginning when she and a friend noticed that something strange was happening in the ocean. Within a matter of minutes, the sea had wiped out life as she had known it. In a new memoir, called simply Wave, she recalls her experience with the tsunami that killed more than 200,000 people, including her own family.

Today, Deraniyagala lives in New York.

Has The Nook Saved Barnes & Noble From Going The Way Of Borders?

Lynn Neary — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:21:00 +0000

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

Barnes & Noble Chairman and chief stockholder, Leonard Riggio, is looking into the possibility of buying the company's retail book business, but not the Nook, the e-book, the company had staked it future on.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

That news comes as the company is set to release its third quarter earnings on Thursday.

Woody Guthrie's 'House Of Earth' Calls 'This Land' Home

Lynn Neary — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 08:20:00 +0000

Woody Guthrie wrote thousands of songs in his lifetime — but as far as anyone knows, he only wrote one novel. Recently discovered, House of Earth is the story of a young couple living in the Texas Panhandle in the 1930s. They dream of building a house that will withstand the bitter winds and ever-present dust that constantly threaten the flimsy wooden shack they call home.

The novel is being released by Johnny Depp's new publishing imprint at HarperCollins, Infinitum Nihil.

E-Readers Track How We Read, But Is The Data Useful To Authors?

Lynn Neary — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:14:00 +0000

Reading always seemed to be the most private of acts: just you and your imagination immersed in another world. But now, if you happen to be curled up with an e-reader, you're not alone.

Data is being collected about your reading habits. That information belongs to the companies that sell e-readers, like Amazon or Barnes & Noble. And they can share — or sell — that information if they like. One official at Barnes & Noble has said sharing that data with publishers might "help authors create even better books."

The data is also, of course, a brilliant marketing tool.

A Colorful Anniversary: The Caldecott Medal Turns 75

Lynn Neary — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 08:24:00 +0000

Some children's book illustrators might not have gotten a lot of sleep over the weekend. That's because they might have been wondering if this could be the year they win one of the grand prizes of children's literature: the Randolph Caldecott Medal.

This year is the 75th anniversary of the Caldecott, which is given to the most distinguished children's picture book of the year.

'Fifty Shades' Is The One That Got Away. At Least From Me

Lynn Neary — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 21:07:00 +0000

Sometimes "the one that got away" is a book that was easy to overlook. A little gem of a first novel, or a memoir by an unknown writer that unexpectedly captured everyone's imagination.

But sometimes, it's the elephant in the room that you just haven't looked at yet. Everyone knows about it. It's one of the biggest sellers of all time. It's a cultural phenomenon — it's Fifty Shades of Grey. And I ignored it until I couldn't anymore.

It wasn't just that you couldn't go anywhere without hearing about it. Nor was it the record-breaking sales.

Self-Publishing: No Longer Just A Vanity Project

Lynn Neary — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 08:49:00 +0000

They used to call it the "vanity press," and the phrase itself spoke volumes. Self-published authors were considered not good enough to get a real publishing contract. They had to pay to see their book in print. But with the advent of e-books, self-publishing has exploded, and a handful of writers have had huge best-sellers.

TV blogger Alan Sepinwall's self-published book, The Revolution Was Televised, came out just before Thanksgiving.

Now You're Talking! The Year's Best Book Club Reads

Lynn Neary — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 12:03:00 +0000

A young boy seeks justice. A young woman wants to stay alive. A friendship is tested. The child of a commune comes of age. A solitary man gives himself over to love. These are the bare actions underpinning the novels that I'm suggesting for book clubs this year. Some are first novels; others the work of well-known writers. Some might touch your heart; others might challenge the way you think. At least one will make you laugh — and a couple might make you cry. They are all good reads. And they are, above all, books you'll want to talk about with your friends.

Oprah's Book Club Turns Over A New Page

Lynn Neary — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 08:04:00 +0000

Oprah Winfrey became a publishing powerhouse when she started her book club in 1996. Her picks went to the top of best-seller lists — and stayed there for weeks.

Oprah's Second Pick: A First Time Novelist

Lynn Neary — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 08:18:00 +0000

Earlier this year, Oprah Winfrey announced an updated version of her popular book club, this time called Book Club 2.0. Her first pick, Cheryl Strayed's memoir Wild, experienced best-seller list success thanks to what some people are calling the "Oprah bump." And last week Winfrey announced her second pick, a novel called The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis, a first-time author.

Mathis was on vacation in Paris when she picked up the phone — and Winfrey was on the other end of the line. "I think I said, 'no it isn't,' " Mathis says.

Independent Bookstores Find Their Footing

Lynn Neary — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 21:48:00 +0000

In recent years, the start of the holiday shopping season has meant nothing but gloom for independent bookstores. But this year, the mood seems to be lifting, and a lot of booksellers are feeling optimistic. Even President Obama kicked off his Christmas shopping at a neighborhood bookstore in Northern Virginia.

Even so, booksellers are still having trouble enticing customers to plunk down cash for expensive hardcovers when e-books are so popular. Steve Bercu has been in the book business for 40 years.

'Round House' Wins National Book Award For Fiction

Lynn Neary — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 10:08:00 +0000

The National Book Awards announced Wednesday night honored both longtime writers and new authors, from Louise Erdrich who won for her novel The Round House to Katherine Boo, who was honored for her debut nonfiction work, Behind the Beautiful Forevers.

Erdrich has been a highly regarded author for nearly 30 years. She'd been a finalist twice before but said being honored is "all the more meaningful when you're older ...

'Testament Of Mary' Gives Fiery Voice To The Virgin

Lynn Neary — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 08:44:00 +0000

The Virgin Mary is one of the most familiar icons of Christianity. For centuries, artists have depicted her on everything from backyard statues of a rosy-cheeked innocent to paintings of magnificent Madonnas hanging in museums all over the world. But few writers have taken up her story or tried to create their own version of the events of her life.

Now, Irish writer Colm Toibin does just that.

New Jersey Voters Face Election Troubles After Storm

Lynn Neary — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 22:18:00 +0000

Transcript

LYNN NEARY, HOST:

It's ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Lynn Neary.

We heard earlier this hour about some of the complications of voting in New Jersey after last week's storm. Residents were allowed to vote by fax or email, or they could cast their ballot today the old fashion way, by heading to the polls.

NPR's Jim Zarroli has been process in the coastal town of Belmar, New Jersey, which suffered a lot of damage.

New York, New Jersey Voting Hampered By Sandy

Lynn Neary — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 22:17:00 +0000

Transcript

LYNN NEARY, HOST:

And now to NPR's Pam Fessler who has been covering voting issues throughout the campaign. Hi, Pam.

PAM FESSLER, BYLINE: Hello.

NEARY: So what have you been hearing so far? How's voting going? Any problems so far?

FESSLER: Well, there are always some problems, but I would say overall things are going fairly smoothly. The most serious problems, understandably, seem to be in the New York and New Jersey area, which were hit by superstorm Sandy.

'Smitten Kitchen' Takes The Fuss Out Of Cooking

Lynn Neary — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 09:06:00 +0000

Think of the smallest kitchen you can imagine, and then take away a few square feet. That's Deb Perelman's New York kitchen. It's so small that the blogger, and now author, literally has to wedge herself between the stove and the refrigerator to cook.

Perelman insists you don't need a big or gourmet kitchen to make good food — and she's done a good job of proving it.

Random House, Penguin To Merge

Lynn Neary — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 09:33:00 +0000

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Sandy overshadowed almost everything in yesterday and put the rest of it under water. But even with a massive storm underway the publishing industry could not ignore another big story: the merger of two of the biggest publishing houses in the business. The European conglomerates that own Random House and Penguin reached an agreement to consolidate.

NPR's Lynn Neary reports.

LYNN NEARY, BYLINE: These are two powerhouses in publishing.

Random House, Penguin Publishing Houses To Merge

Lynn Neary — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 21:13:00 +0000

Executives of the publishing giants Bertelsmann and Pearson announced on Monday that they will pursue a merger of their publishing houses, Random House and Penguin. The united publishing companies are set to become a large and influential force in publishing.

Publisher Sues Authors Who Don't Produce Manuscripts

Lynn Neary — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 10:49:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

A lot of would-be professional writers dream of someday getting a book contract that includes an advance, enough money, paid upfront, to let them quit their day job and write full time.

Of course, those advances do come with an expectation that an author will actually write the book. The Penguin Publishing Group recently filed suit against a dozen authors who failed to produce manuscripts after getting an advances.

NPR's Lynn Neary reports.

LYNN NEARY, BYLINE: Let's face it, writing is hard.

Put Down Your E-Reader: This Book's Better In Print

Lynn Neary — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 07:30:00 +0000

Most people who read a lot have gotten used to reading on a screen, whether it's a laptop, a tablet or an e-reader. Some say they prefer it to the experience of reading a heavy, awkward print version of the book. But every now and then, a book comes along that just seems to insist on being physical — something about it simply can't be transferred to the screen.

Gillian Cross' new retelling of Homer's The Odyssey is aimed at kids 8 and up, and like many children's books, it's brightly colored and beautifully illustrated.

Renaissance CSI: Machiavelli-Da Vinci Detective Duo

Lynn Neary — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 21:03:00 +0000

What would happen if two of the biggest names of the Renaissance — Niccolo Machiavelli and Leonardo da Vinci — teamed up as a crime-fighting duo? That's the idea behind Michael Ennis' new historical thriller, The Malice of Fortune. The mystery novel pairs the ruthless political philosopher and the genius inventor and artist together as an unlikely detective team on the trail of a serial killer.

Ennis first dreamed up the idea of Machiavelli-as-mystery-detective 12 years ago.

Same Streets, Different Lives In 'NW' London

Lynn Neary — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 07:51:00 +0000

Writer Zadie Smith burst onto the literary scene with her first novel White Teeth more than a decade ago. Set in the Northwest London neighborhood where she grew up, White Teeth captured the diverse, vibrant rhythms of a city in transition. Smith returns to the neighborhood in her new novel, NW, but this is a sobering homecoming.

Smith's mischievous sense of humor is still on full display in NW as is her playful love of language. But this is an older, perhaps wiser, writer than the young woman who dazzled readers with her first book.

In The 'Shadow' Of Death, Stories Survive

Lynn Neary — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 07:32:00 +0000

When she was just 5 years old, Vaddey Ratner's comfortable and protected life as the child of an aristocratic Cambodian family came to an abrupt end, as Khmer Rouge soldiers entered the capital, Phnom Penh. They banged on the gates of the family compound and ordered them to leave — it was the start of the Khmer Rouge reign of terror, which left hundreds of thousands of Cambodians dead, including all of Ratner's family except her mother.

She tells a fictionalized version of her story in her first novel.

'Age Of Desire': How Wharton Lost Her 'Innocence'

Lynn Neary — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 20:11:00 +0000

Jennie Fields was well into her new novel about Edith Wharton — and her love affair with a young journalist — when she heard that a new cache of Wharton letters had been discovered. They were written to Anna Bahlmann, who was first Wharton's governess and later her literary secretary. Bahlmann had never been considered a major influence on Wharton, but Fields had decided to make her a central character in her book, The Age of Desire, even before she heard about the letters.