Books & Reading

NPR's Sacha Pfieffer speaks to comedian Chris Duffy about his new book, "Humor Me." In it, he explores how laughing can be therapeutic and argues that humor can be taught, lost and regained.

NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Carlotta Walls LaNier about her new children's picture book, "Carlotta's Special Dress," recounting her story as the youngest member of the Little Rock Nine.

NPR's Scott Simon talks to Daniyal Mueenuddin about his debut novel, "This is Where the Serpent Lives." It's a sprawling story winding through families, decades, crimes, and power in modern Pakistan.

Soboroff was a reporter for NBC during the 2025 Los Angeles fires, and he grew up in the Palisades area, which was hit hard.

In her cookbook, Jessica Harris explores how the fundamentals of American cuisine are an intertwining of Native American, European and African cultures.

Did you resolve to read more in 2026? Whether you're on track or need a jump start, here are some books coming out in the next few months to considering adding to your list.

Prior to the 1979 revolution, Iranian singer and actor Googoosh was a pop superstar. But she was jailed by the Islamic Republic and forced to agree to never sing or perform in public.

Iowa has been awarded a $209 million federal grant to expand and improve health care across the state — the first installment of what officials say could total $1 billion over the next five years. The funding is part of the federal Rural Health Transformation Program and is aimed at strengthening access to care, equipment and workforce development in rural communities. Leaders from Iowa’s critical access hospitals talk about what this funding could mean on the ground and why they say it falls far short of what rural providers are bracing for. We also discuss workforce shortages, the challenge of recruiting specialists like OB-GYNs, and the “hub and spoke” model Gov. Kim Reynolds has promoted to reshape rural health care delivery. Later, host Charity Nebbe announces Talk of Iowa’s 2026 Book Club selections with IPR talk show producer, Caitlin Troutman.

Journalist Eric Lichtblau says President Trump's incendiary rhetoric has stoked a "new age of hate." His book centers on a murder committed by a young neo-Nazi in Orange County, Calif.

Ames had been serving life without parole since 1994, when he was convicted of espionage for selling secrets to the Soviet Union.