KBAQ Book of the Month
December 2009 KBAQ Book of the Month: The Symphony-A Listener's Guide by Michael Steinberg
The Symphony-A Listener's Guide, by Michael Steinberg
A great holiday gift for the serious classical music aficionado!
Full story
NPR Book Reviews
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Father G Sees Past Gang Tattoos, To The Heart
Los Angeles is home to nearly 86,000 gang members. When they want to quit "gang banging," many call Fr. Gregory Boyle, a Jesuit priest. Father G, founder of Homeboy Industries, talks about his book, <em>Tattoos On The Heart.</em>
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Desmond Tutu, Insisting We Are 'Made For Goodness'
The South African cleric and human-rights activist Desmond Tutu joins Renee Montagne to reflect on his long life and his lasting message about forgiveness and reconciliation. His new book, <em>Made for Goodness,</em> is an explanation of his personal sense of spirituality and an invitation to share in his beliefs about the basic goodness of humanity.
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'Angelology': A Cross-Bred Monster Of A Mystery
The first novel by Danielle Trussoni follows the struggle between nefarious human-angel hybrids and the band of mortals trying to keep them in check. Trussoni, author of the acclaimed memoir <em>Falling Through the Earth,</em> maintains a balance between literary artistry and complex adventure.
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Excerpt: 'Enlightened Sexism'
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A Grim 'Eclipse': Deb Amos On Iraq's Sunni Exiles
Since the U.S. invasion, 4 million Iraqis have had to leave their homes. An additional 2 million have left the country entirely, and many are still outside its borders. NPR's Deborah Amos tells the story of these displaced Iraqi citizens in her new book, <em>Eclipse of the Sunnis.</em>
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Rove's Memoir: 'The Empire Strikes Back'?
Karl Rove released a memoir Tuesday that many reviewers criticized as being more defense of George W. Bush-era policies than revealing look at the legendary operative once dubbed "Bush's Brain." But most political memoirs share a similar aim: to get a jump on shaping history as it's written.
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Puchner's Debut Novel Forthright, Detailed
In Eric Puchner's novel <em>Model Home</em>, a father relocates his family from the Midwest to Southern California, but his dreams for success, and theirs, falls flat. It's the first novel by the award-winning short-story writer.
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Publisher Pulls 'Last Train From Hiroshima'
In February, Henry Holt & Company stopped the presses on <em>The Last Train from Hiroshima</em> by Charles Pellegrino, amid questions of fraud. Motoko Rich, publishing reporter for the <em>New York Times</em>, shares what Pellegrino said to her about the allegations.
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Deception And 'The Devil And Sherlock Holmes'
David Grann spent years documenting true stories of obsession and deception. He includes an improbable international impostor and the mysterious death of a Sherlock Holmes scholar in his book, The Devil and Sherlock Holmes.
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After Financial Ruin, Plotting America's 'Comeback'
David M. Walker is the former comptroller general of the United States. His book, <em>Comeback America,</em> details the current financial crisis and offers his ideas on controlling spending and restoring fiscal responsibility in the United States.
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Excerpt: 'Eclipse of the Sunnis'
Excerpt: 'Eclipse of the Sunnis'
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What We're Reading, March 9 - 15
Is the biblically inspired <em>Angelology</em> the next <em>Da Vinci Code?</em> James Hynes' <em>Next</em> causes us to inaugurate the genre "Mick lit" (think middle-aged men and the Rolling Stones). A prominent advocate of No Child Left Behind reverses course. And ace spy John Wells is back, undercover and in deep.
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Sunnis Who Fled Iraq Remain In Exile
Since the U.S. invasion of Iraq, about 4 million Iraqis have fled their homes. Another 2 million have fled the country entirely. Throughout the war, NPR's Deborah Amos has spent much of her time with Iraqis who fled to Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. She has a new book out: <em>Eclipse of the Sunnis: Power, Exile and Upheaval in the Middle East.</em>
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'The Poisoner's Handbook': CSI's Jazz Age Roots
Deborah Blum's history of the birth of forensic science details the work of Charles Norris, New York City's first chief medical examiner, and Alexander Gettler, Norris' head toxicologist. The two advanced many of the technologies that allow scientists to track toxic substances in the body.
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Three Family Secrets We Can't Keep
Everyone has his or her own secrets, but what happens when your most intimate ones are shared with loved ones? Family secrets can be the hardest to hide — and the most provocative. Martha Toll suggest three books for when no one knows you better than your family — and that's the problem.
The Symphony-A Listener's Guide, by Michael Steinberg
A great holiday gift for the serious classical music aficionado!
Full story
NPR Book Reviews
-
Father G Sees Past Gang Tattoos, To The Heart
Los Angeles is home to nearly 86,000 gang members. When they want to quit "gang banging," many call Fr. Gregory Boyle, a Jesuit priest. Father G, founder of Homeboy Industries, talks about his book, <em>Tattoos On The Heart.</em> -
Desmond Tutu, Insisting We Are 'Made For Goodness'
The South African cleric and human-rights activist Desmond Tutu joins Renee Montagne to reflect on his long life and his lasting message about forgiveness and reconciliation. His new book, <em>Made for Goodness,</em> is an explanation of his personal sense of spirituality and an invitation to share in his beliefs about the basic goodness of humanity. -
'Angelology': A Cross-Bred Monster Of A Mystery
The first novel by Danielle Trussoni follows the struggle between nefarious human-angel hybrids and the band of mortals trying to keep them in check. Trussoni, author of the acclaimed memoir <em>Falling Through the Earth,</em> maintains a balance between literary artistry and complex adventure. -
Excerpt: 'Enlightened Sexism'
-
A Grim 'Eclipse': Deb Amos On Iraq's Sunni Exiles
Since the U.S. invasion, 4 million Iraqis have had to leave their homes. An additional 2 million have left the country entirely, and many are still outside its borders. NPR's Deborah Amos tells the story of these displaced Iraqi citizens in her new book, <em>Eclipse of the Sunnis.</em> -
Rove's Memoir: 'The Empire Strikes Back'?
Karl Rove released a memoir Tuesday that many reviewers criticized as being more defense of George W. Bush-era policies than revealing look at the legendary operative once dubbed "Bush's Brain." But most political memoirs share a similar aim: to get a jump on shaping history as it's written. -
Puchner's Debut Novel Forthright, Detailed
In Eric Puchner's novel <em>Model Home</em>, a father relocates his family from the Midwest to Southern California, but his dreams for success, and theirs, falls flat. It's the first novel by the award-winning short-story writer. -
Publisher Pulls 'Last Train From Hiroshima'
In February, Henry Holt & Company stopped the presses on <em>The Last Train from Hiroshima</em> by Charles Pellegrino, amid questions of fraud. Motoko Rich, publishing reporter for the <em>New York Times</em>, shares what Pellegrino said to her about the allegations. -
Deception And 'The Devil And Sherlock Holmes'
David Grann spent years documenting true stories of obsession and deception. He includes an improbable international impostor and the mysterious death of a Sherlock Holmes scholar in his book, The Devil and Sherlock Holmes. -
After Financial Ruin, Plotting America's 'Comeback'
David M. Walker is the former comptroller general of the United States. His book, <em>Comeback America,</em> details the current financial crisis and offers his ideas on controlling spending and restoring fiscal responsibility in the United States. -
Excerpt: 'Eclipse of the Sunnis'
Excerpt: 'Eclipse of the Sunnis' -
What We're Reading, March 9 - 15
Is the biblically inspired <em>Angelology</em> the next <em>Da Vinci Code?</em> James Hynes' <em>Next</em> causes us to inaugurate the genre "Mick lit" (think middle-aged men and the Rolling Stones). A prominent advocate of No Child Left Behind reverses course. And ace spy John Wells is back, undercover and in deep. -
Sunnis Who Fled Iraq Remain In Exile
Since the U.S. invasion of Iraq, about 4 million Iraqis have fled their homes. Another 2 million have fled the country entirely. Throughout the war, NPR's Deborah Amos has spent much of her time with Iraqis who fled to Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. She has a new book out: <em>Eclipse of the Sunnis: Power, Exile and Upheaval in the Middle East.</em> -
'The Poisoner's Handbook': CSI's Jazz Age Roots
Deborah Blum's history of the birth of forensic science details the work of Charles Norris, New York City's first chief medical examiner, and Alexander Gettler, Norris' head toxicologist. The two advanced many of the technologies that allow scientists to track toxic substances in the body. -
Three Family Secrets We Can't Keep
Everyone has his or her own secrets, but what happens when your most intimate ones are shared with loved ones? Family secrets can be the hardest to hide — and the most provocative. Martha Toll suggest three books for when no one knows you better than your family — and that's the problem.
