Books
Paul BannickFrom Owls To Grunge: Photo Book Gift Ideas
()It's okay that you forgot to buy your weird neighbor and hyperactive nephew a gift. Because we have solutions. Five of them. Nature, rockers and Norman Rockwell are involved.
What We're Reading: Nov. 24 - 30, 2009
Michael Crichton's pirates; stories by Alice Munro and Ha Jin; and a history of space exploration.
Looking For Signs Of God, 'The Dude' Delivers()
December 20, 2009 Cathleen Falsani's book, The Dude Abides, examines the way the Coen brothers inject elements of religion into their films, from The Big Lebowski to A Serious Man.
Best Books Of 2009
2009's Crop Of Great Gardening Books()
December 17, 2009 From an anti-lawn manifesto, to "sophisticated plant porn at its finest," Ketzel Levine shares this year's yield of great gardening books. She finds that geeky plant lust is officially outre, and memoirs of urban homesteads of produce and poultry are a budding new genre.
Religion
Searching For The 'Fingerprints Of God'()
December 17, 2009 NPR religion correspondent Barbara Bradley Hagerty investigates the intersection of science and faith in her new book, Fingerprints of God. She researched everything from the brain functions of Buddhist monks, to the effectiveness of prayer to heal the sick.
Book Suggestions For A Passionate Holiday()
December 7, 2009 The act of passing on a passion is one of the greatest gifts you can give. Book critic Maureen Corrigan promises that the books on this list — mostly slim, unforgettable volumes about places or things that the writers themselves deeply love — are merrily infectious.
Sports
New Book Shows Off The Earliest Relics Of Baseball()
December 16, 2009 Baseball Americana: Treasures from the Library of Congress reveals early baseball artifacts housed in the world's largest collection in Washington, D.C. It includes a diary entry from 1786 with a reference to "baste ball" and photographs of female players known as "bloomer girls."
Author Interviews
For Photographer Of Birds, A Spotlight On Beauty()
December 15, 2009 Theodore Cross has spent the last 40 years watching and photographing birds — and water birds are his favorite. He says the water birds have a "courage and beauty" that outshines others. A collection of his photos and stories are collected in a book called Waterbirds.
Best Books Of 2009
Best Books For A Book Club? Lynn Neary's '09 Picks()
December 15, 2009 What makes a good book-club selection? Most of Lynn Neary's picks are quick reads. All are fiction. And, because some of the best conversations occur when people don't agree, a few are calculated to spark debate. So have a glass of wine, maybe a bite to eat, and let the discussions begin.
Author Interviews
Blackwater: Private Army In The News Again()
December 16, 2009 Jeremy Scahill has been investigating Blackwater, a military contractor with a long involvement in the Iraq war. His latest story, published Nov. 23 in The Nation, uncovers the contractor's involvement in a covert program in Pakistan run by the U.S. Joint Special Command.
Best Books Of 2009
In The Year's Best Memoirs, Mirth And Melancholy()
December 14, 2009 Heller McAlpin's picks include: the story of a lifelong crush on Albert Camus, a humorous take on middle-aged malaise, and a no-nonsense look at mortality. The sharp, fresh writing in these memoirs will bring you headfirst into each author's world, with your heart following close behind.
Author Interviews
Griffin Dunne On The Life And Work Of His Father()
December 15, 2009 The actor and director shares memories and discusses the work of his late father, journalist and novelist Dominick Dunne, who became famous for covering the lives and trials of celebrities. He died in August at the age of 83.
