book

Megha Majumdar’s follow-up to her first bestseller is the new novel, 'A Guardian and a Thief.' It unfolds over one taut week in a near-future Kolkata reeling from climate disaster and food shortages. Two families—strangers to each other—are pushed into collision.

Oren Harman tells us about his latest book, "Metamorphosis: A Natural and Human History. ," where Harman traces a path from Aristotle to Darwin to cutting-edge science today, to explore this miraculous yet violent process of transformation and metaphor for identity, reinvention, and survival.

In the new book “A Driving Anger: The Psychology of Road Rage” Anne O’Dwyer investigates the psychological forces that make driving such fertile ground for anger. She explains how the illusion of anonymity, cognitive distortions, and the stressors of modern life can converge on the roadway turning minor inconveniences into outsized reactions.

Once again, the House has passed a version of a bill that would require voters to present proof of citizenship, like a passport or birth certificate, when registering to vote. On this week's 51%, we speak with Wren Orey of the Bipartisan Policy Center about what the "SAVE America Act" would entail, and whether it would impact married women and others who have changed their names. We also speak with the author of You Can't Catch Us about former First Lady Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson, and the trailblazing campaign tour she embarked on to sway southern voters ahead of the 1964 election.

Once again, the House has passed a version of a bill that would require voters to present proof of citizenship, like a passport or birth certificate, when registering to vote. On this week's 51%, we speak with Wren Orey of the Bipartisan Policy Center about what the "SAVE America Act" would entail, and whether it would impact married women and others who have changed their names. We also speak with the author of You Can't Catch Us about former First Lady Claudia "Lady Bird" Johnson, and the trailblazing campaign tour she embarked on to sway southern voters ahead of the 1964 election.

John Sayles' new novel 'Crucible' is a sweeping historical epic that takes readers deep into the world of Henry Ford and the Motor City between 1927 and 1945. Sayles casts his net wide across this transformative era, capturing the rise and fall of industrial fortunes, the bitter struggles of workers and union organizers, and the cultural collisions of race, class, and power in America’s heartbeat.

Author Madeleine Dunnigan’s new novel 'Jean' is haunting and it is a coming-of-age debut that integrates the fragilities of masculinity, the mysticism of adolescence, and the often-fraught bonds between mothers and their sons. Madeleine was a Jill Davis Fellow in the MFA program at New York University. She was also awarded a GRI fellowship in Paris and this is her first novel.

Anne Fadiman is Professor in the Practice of English and Francis Writer-in-Residence at Yale. Her most recent book is “Frog,” an essay collection that Booklist called “a joy to read for the etched-glass precision of [Fadiman’s] language and the warmth of her candor and wit”.

On this week’s 51%, we speak with feminist icons Gloria Steinem and Leymah Gbowee about their new children's book, "Rise, Girl, Rise: Our Sister-Friend Journey. Together for All." Describing their unique paths as feminists fighting for gender equality and peace, "Rise, Girl, Rise," reminds readers young and old of the power of collective action and global sisterhood. We also meet a fashion designer in New York's Capital Region who crafted the inauguration suit for the city of Albany's first Black mayor.

The new book, Ballot, examines the psychological, cultural, and political significance of voting in an increasingly anti-voting climate. Armed with her personal experiences as a poll worker, electoral organizer, and activist, Anjali Enjeti presents the precarious state of the ballot during one of the most tumultuous political eras in US history.