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Novelist Francine Prose’s latest, 'Five Weeks in the Country,' turns a strange real-life literary episode into rich, darkly funny fiction. In the summer of 1857, Hans Christian Andersen arrives at Charles Dickens’ country home for what should have been a brief visit. Instead, he stays five excruciating weeks.

Novelist Francine Prose’s latest, 'Five Weeks in the Country,' turns a strange real-life literary episode into rich, darkly funny fiction. In the summer of 1857, Hans Christian Andersen arrives at Charles Dickens’ country home for what should have been a brief visit. Instead, he stays five excruciating weeks.

Historian Michael Auslin joins us to discuss his new book, 'National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America.' Rather than viewing the Declaration as a relic of the past, Auslin argues that it remains the nation's defining document—one whose ideals have inspired generations of Americans while continuing to spark debate about the country's promise and purpose.

Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho forever changed movie history with one shocking scene, but novelist Leah Rowan asks a tantalizing question: what if Marion Crane had survived? In her debut thriller, 'Marion,' Rowan reimagines one of cinema's most famous victims as a woman who fights back, setting off a suspenseful story of survival, revenge, and reinvention.A modern, feminist twist on a classic, the novel blends psychological suspense with sharp social commentary as Marion flees the aftermath of a deadly encounter while trying to save her sister from an abusive marriage. It's a bold, unexpected retelling that turns a familiar story on its head.

Few families have inspired as much fascination as the Kennedys and Britain's royal family. Journalist Caroline Hallemann has spent years covering both as Digital Director of 'Town & Country,' and in her first book, 'The Kennedys and the Windsors: The Story of Two Dynasties, One Born, One Made,' she brings their histories together in a fresh and revealing way.Drawing on extensive archival research and interviews, Hallemann traces nearly a century of connections, rivalries, tragedies, and public mythmaking, showing how America's closest thing to royalty and Britain's actual monarchy have reflected, influenced, and reshaped one another across generations.

For decades, Cory Doctorow has been one of the sharpest critics of the digital world—a bestselling science-fiction writer, journalist, co-editor of Boing Boing, and longtime advocate for digital rights and an open internet. His latest nonfiction book, 'The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI,' takes aim at the hype, fear, and confusion surrounding artificial intelligence.

Brad Gooch has spent much of his career telling the stories of larger-than-life figures. The poet, novelist, and acclaimed biographer is known for celebrated books on Keith Haring, Frank O’Hara, Flannery O’Connor, and the 13th-century mystic Rumi.A Guggenheim Fellow and recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship, Gooch has built a reputation for combining literary insight with a keen eye for the personal details that shape a life. In his new memoir, 'Good Morning Moon: A Snapshot of an American Family,' he turns that eye inward.

Author Colm Toibin’s latest, 'The News From Dublin,' is his first story collection in more than a decade. The volume gathers nine stories set across Ireland, Spain, the United States, and beyond, tracing lives shaped by distance, memory, and the pull of home.

Author Colm Toibin’s latest, 'The News From Dublin,' is his first story collection in more than a decade. The volume gathers nine stories set across Ireland, Spain, the United States, and beyond, tracing lives shaped by distance, memory, and the pull of home.

The Dog’s Gaze: A Visual History' is a unique visual history that examines the social bond between two species, shedding new light on the human condition through the eyes of our canine companions. Art and Cultural Historian Thomas Laqueur will tell us more about his book.