Harper Audio Presents: Recent Episodes
Harper Audio Presents
The podcast that celebrates all-things Audiobooks – Whether we're chatting with authors and narrators, playing games and giving away prizes, or sharing clips of the best new audiobooks, HarperAudio Presents aims to highlight the fun in the world of audiobooks. New episodes every other Wednesday.
We’re wrapping up the season and the year by taking a look back at our favorite audiobooks from 2019!
Subscribe to the podcast here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/harp…nts/id806303320 Want the great audiobooks we talked about in this episode? Get your copy here:
A Series of Unfortunate Events Vinyl: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062873927/a-series-of-unfortunate-events-the-bad-beginning-vinyl-mp3/ Over the Top: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062906403/over-the-top/ Get A Life, Chloe Brown: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062941244/get-a-life-chloe-brown/ The Dutch House: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062963703/the-dutch-house/
Looking for more podcasts made for booklovers?
Book Club Girl: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/book-club-girl/id975697894 The Library Love Fest: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-library-love-fest-podcast/id1378604121 Remember Reading: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/remember-reading-podcast/id1447897366
Seasons Greetings! We're bringing good tidings and interviews with Holiday Romance authors Jill Shalvis and Sarah Morgan!
Subscribe to the podcast here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/harp…nts/id806303320
Available Now: Wrapped Up In You by Jill Shalvis: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062897794/wrapped-up-in-you/ A Wedding in December by Sarah Morgan: https://www.amazon.com/A-Wedding-in-December/dp/B07S39HHW7/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1574204106&sr=1-1-spons
We bring in the big names for this A-List episode with audiobook clips read by Tom Hanks, Demi Moore, and Debbie Harry. Plus, audiobook director and producer Scott Sherratt sits down for an interview.
Subscribe to the podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/harp%E2%80%A6nts/id806303320
Scott chats about his creative process, how he uses his background in music to make his audiobooks more dynamic, if he gets starstruck, and more! Plus Scott plays a game we call Who Said That?
Then, we’ve got audiobook clips from FACE IT written and read by Debbie Harry, THE DUTCH HOUSE written by Ann Patchett and read by Tom Hanks, and INSIDE OUT written and read by Demi Moore.
All these titles are available now! Face It: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780060749583/face-it/ The Dutch House: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062963703/the-dutch-house/ Inside Out: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062973429/inside-out/
We get in the Halloween spirit with horror and sci-fi author Joe Hill, who’s thrilling short story collection FULL THROTTLE is on-sale now!
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Joe chats about how his family would record audiobooks for each other, that time his Dad let gross-out make-up legend Tom Savini babysit him on the set of Creepshow, what actually scares him, and more.
Plus, Joe plays a gruesome edition of the Self-Awareness Game, and answers a question from the dreaded Harper Audio Grab Bag!
Buy FULL THROTTLE with it’s all-star audiobook cast including Zachary Quinto, Wil Wheaton, Kate Mulgrew, Neil Gaiman, Ashleigh Cummings, Joe Hill, Laysla De Oliveira, Nate Corddry, Connor Jessup, Stephen Lang, and George Guidall : https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062956644/full-throttle/
We celebrate audiobooks with complex language by interviewing narrator Robin Miles about her experience reading the late Zora Neale Hurston’s Barracoon.
We also pit the author of the upcoming The Gentleman’s Guide To Getting Lucky Mackenzi Lee against the book’s narrator Christian Coulson, in a game of forgotten phrases from 1700s England.
Finally, we play a clip from LuLu Lam’s narration of Thanhha Lai’s Butterfly Yellow, which features heavy use of phonetics and literal language barriers between the main characters.
Subscribe to the podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/harp%E2%80%A6nts/id806303320
Three fantastic audiobook narrators and real life friends, Graham Halstead, Saskia Maarleveld, and Brittany Pressley share their insight on getting into the world of professional audiobook narration. The Super Friends talk about tips and tricks to a good performance, how they broke into the business, and more!
Subscribe to the podcast, here: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/harp…nts/id806303320
Host of "By The Book" and author of "So You Want To Start A Podcast," Kristen Meinzer joins the pod for an interview about the questions you need to ask when starting a podcast, why vocal fry is a myth, and how to perfect the midwestern accent.
Then, stick around to hear Kristen narrate the opening minutes of her audiobook "So You Want To Start A Podcast."
Subscribe to the podcast, here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/harp%E2%80%A6nts/id806303320
The creative team behind PUSS IN BOOTS (Neil Fishman, Harvey Edelman, and Khristine Hvam) join the pod for an interview about the creative process, creating audiobook musicals like Puss In Boots, how to be a better singer, and more! Plus they take on the Harper Audio Presents Grab Bag!
Then, stick around to hear a show-stopping number from the new audiobook musical PUSS IN BOOTS. Narrated by Jim Dale, and performed by a full cast.
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Julia Quinn, author of the Bridgerton Series, joins the pod to talk about her M.O. as a writer of romance, her time as a contestant on The Weakest Link, and more! Plus she plays a round of the dreaded Self-Awareness Game.
Then, it's a romance author roundtable featuring conversations about the craft with Charis Michaels, Alisha Rai, Megan Frampton, and Jennifer Ryan.
Subscribe to the podcast, here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/harper-audio-presents/id806303320
Josh Gondelman joins the show to talk about his new book of essays NICE TRY, what it's like to bomb on stage, the joys of 90s movie soundtracks, and much more.
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Enter the Kristen Meinzer Podcast Coaching Session Contest, Here: https://startapodcast.pgtb.me/65jXrh
We take a look at books with “four letter words” and lots of asterisks in their titles, in the form of Listening Party and Word Nerd segments!
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Enter to WIN the Listening Party here: http://harperaudio.hc.com/julylisteningparty/
The Listening Party adds a new member and plays clips from five audiobooks including Everything Is Fcked and The Hidden Power of Fcking Up.
Then, Fametta Sawyer returns with a brand new Word Nerd with guest Iris McElroy, looking at old-timey curse words.
We explore new sci-fi titles and interview the authors of THE BRINK, James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth!
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James S. Murray and Darren Wearmouth chat about the type of sci-fi they like, performing accents for the THE BRINK audiobook, how fame has changed the way Murr films Impractical Jokers, and more! Plus, they try to guess ridiculous sci-fi b-movie plots in a new game titled ‘WHY SCI-FI, WHY?”
Then, it’s audiobook clip theatre, as we listen to the opening minutes of THE BRINK, and Ricahrd Kadrey’s latest THE GRAND DARK, narrated by Vikas Adam.
We interview two authors who know how to treat their fans, Dorothea Benton Frank and Susan Mallery!
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Dorothea Benton Frank chats with us from the “Dorothea Benton Frank Fanfest 2019,” about Low Country living and her latest novel Queen Bee.
Then we chat with Susan Mallery about which pet is her favorite and her latest novel The Summer of Sunshine and Margot.
Finally, we give you the first few minutes of the audiobook for both of our guest’s latest works.
We interview Sasha Alsberg, co-author of Nexus.
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Lindsay Cummings and Sasha Alsberg follow their bestselling sci-fi space adventure Zenith with the final entry to their Androma Saga, Nexus.
Sasha chats with us about the journey of writing with a partner, what’s on her author bucket list, and much more! Stick around for an extended excerpt from the audiobook version of Nexus.
Authors Juliet Grames (The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna) and Catherine Chung (The Tenth Muse) discuss infusing family history into their work, how pregnancy changed their writing, and more. Then they play a new game called Spoiler Alerts.
Subscribe to the pod here: exit.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fit…resents%2Fid806303320
We also introduce a new segment from producer Fametta Sawyer, called Word Nerd.
Finally, we present you with clips from the audiobooks of The Seven or Eight Deaths of Stella Fortuna and The Tenth Muse!
The HarperAudio team has a LISTENING PARTY featuring audiobooks on vinyl, and you can play at home for a chance to win them all! See the official rules for how to enter, here: http://harperaudio.hc.com/apr19listeningparty/
Subscribe to the pod here: https://exit.sc/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fus%2Fpodcast%2Fharperaudio-presents%2Fid806303320
Then, we present an interview between American poet and author of the vinyl collection Love Poems, Nikki Giovanni and journalist Touré.
It's a pod-crossover, as we chat with the authors of Riverdish, Ryan Bloomquist and Sam Gold!
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It's a book based on a podcast based on a tv show based on a comic strip. It sounds confusing, but it's actually just fun. Tyler chats with the infectious hosts and authors of Riverdish, Ryan Bloomquist and Sam Gold. Then, we play an early snippet of the upcoming audiobook edition of Riverdish.
We chat with author Greg Iles, and give our audience a chance to win free audiobooks in the Listening Party!
Subscribe to the pod here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/harperaudio-presents/id806303320
Then HarperAudio team members Beth and Nathan join to walk the listeners through our first at-home listening contest . We call it THE LISTENING PARTY, and you can see all the official rules of how to enter here: http://harperaudio.hc.com/mar19listeningparty/
Can you identify the secret word that appears in all three of our audiobooks? Then maybe you have what it takes to win the Listening Party!
Love is in the air as we chat with romance author Lisa Kleypas and romance narrator Mary Jane Wells!
Subscribe to the pod here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/harperaudio-presents/id806303320
First, Andrew chats with Lisa Kleypas, the author of DEVIL's DAUGHTER. Lisa talks about being published at 21 years old, what she's learned over the course of her career, and more. She also plays a hunger-inducing version of the Self-Awareness Game.
Then, narrator Mary Jane Wells talks about breaking into the business, and how to play the accordion poorly but with gusto! Finally, Mary takes a quiz about obscure Regency Romance Vocabulary.
Click here for more information about Mary Jane Wells and her one-woman show: https://www.heroinetheplay.com/
On the season 2 premier we celebrate Own Voices with Jerry Craft and Bahni Turpin!
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First, Andrew chats with Jerry Craft, the author and illustrator of NEW KID. They talk about how the graphic novel was adapted for audio, public school vs. private school, and more. Then, Jerry plays a game about giving good directions, and his son even joins us in the booth.
Then, world-class narrator Bahni Turpin subjects herself to her past work, as she plays the Self-Awarness Game.
Finally, we hear the first few minutes from the latest audiobook Bahni's narrated - ON THE COME UP, the latest novel from bestselling author of THE HATE U GIVE, Angie Thomas.
Our guest this week on the pod is Gemma Hartley, the author of Fed Up: Emotional Labor, Women, and the Way Forward.
Gemma Hartley is a writer, reporter, and author. In September 2017, Gemma wrote an article that went viral, titled Women Aren’t Nags – We’re Just Fed Up. That article was viewed by over 2 billion people and gave voice to the frustration and anger of countless women, breaking the dam on the conversation around emotional labor. Fed Up picks off where the article left off, expanding on the role and impact of emotional labor in our lives. Fed Up is on sale now.
Gemma sat down with Ana Maria Alessi, and talked about what she wants the book to accomplish on a national level, why the reach of her article surprised her, the difference between how boys and girls are rewarded for empathy, and more.
At the year's end we chat with Robin Whitten, the editor and founder of AudioFIle Magazine, and one of the voices on their new audiobook review podcast "Behind The Mic."
We talk about starting AudioFile, the growth of the audiobook industry and where it will go int he future, and so much more.
Click Here to Listen to Behind the Mic: https://www.audiofilemagazine.com/podcast/
And follow the links to listen to our titles that made the list The Other Woman: http://bit.ly/2LrcwoP Day of the Dead: http://bit.ly/2Le5Y0C The Poppy War: http://bit.ly/2A9us3K I'll Be Gone In The Dark: http://bit.ly/2PjCNXo RFK: http://bit.ly/2Gv5qS6 Barracoon: http://bit.ly/2G0QJWK Beautiful Country Burn Again: http://bit.ly/2V3cwAH The Poet X: http://bit.ly/2T3pGeS The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy: http://bit.ly/2CtXrkf The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: http://bit.ly/2CsTCvB
Actress and narrator Zosia Mamet takes over hosting duties this week, interviewing author Jonathan Lethem about his latest novel THE FERAL DETECTIVE.
Stick around after the interview, as we give you a sneak peak of the audiobook, with Zosia narrating!
Subscribe to HarperAudio Presents on iTunes:https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/harperaudio-presents/id806303320?mt=2
For our special Halloween episode, we sat down with the debut author of THE WITCH OF WILLOW HALL, Hester Fox.
Hester chats about her background in museums, why she likes writing in public, why wallpaper made her life difficult, and more!
The podcast returns with author of MAN OF WAR and co-founder of the American Warrior Initiative, Sean Parnell
Sean talks about his move from non-fiction to fiction, his aim to make Eric Steele a new hero worth looking up to, the differences between how American military and other foreign militaries are viewed by their country, and more!
When a man from Eric Steele’s past attacks a military convoy and steals a nuclear weapon, Steele and his superiors at the White House are blindsided. Moving from Washington, DC, to the Middle East, Europe, and Africa, Steele must use his considerable skills to hunt this rogue agent, a former brother-in-arms who might have been a friend, and find the WMD before it can reach the United States—and the world is forever changed.
Jim DeFelice joins the podcast to discuss his new book about the history of the Pony Express, WEST LIKE LIGHTNING.
Jim talks about how screwed up congress was during that period of time, just how good of a horse rider you had to be to get a job with the Pony Express, who talked him into writing a book about this topic, and more!
The thrilling narrative history of one of the most enduring icons of the American West, the Pony Express, from the #1 New York Times bestselling co-author of American Sniper—an exciting tale of daring young men pushing limits to the extremes across the vast, rugged, and unsettled American West.
Christopher Moore returns to the podcast to discuss his latest sarcastically satiric novel, NOIR
Christopher discusses how Bugs Bunny influenced Noir, talks about his goal to write books that he’d like to read while in the bathtub, plays a game of “what’s my agenda?” and much more.
San Francisco. Summer, 1947. A dame walks into a saloon . . . It’s all very, very Noir. It’s all very, very Christopher Moore.
Elizabeth Acevedo joins the podcast to chat about her new novel-in-verse, The Poet X
Elizabeth discusses a range of topics including how The Poet X is both her story and a universal coming of age for young girls, her experience of discovering poetry at a young age, the process of going from writing poems to a novel, and so much more.
Fans of Jacqueline Woodson, Meg Medina, and Jason Reynolds will fall hard for this astonishing #ownvoices novel-in-verse by an award-winning slam poet, about an Afro-Latina heroine who tells her story with blazing words and powerful truth.
Nikki GIovanni joins the podcast to chat about her new collection of poetry A GOOD CRY
In the interview Nikki chats about recording her older poems, the feeling that we don't cry enough, women in religion, and much more.
In A Good Cry, Nikki takes us into her confidence, describing the joy and peril of aging and recalling the violence that permeated her parents’ marriage and her early life. She pays homage to the people who have given her life meaning and joy: her grandparents, who took her in and saved her life; the poets and thinkers who have influenced her; and the students who have surrounded her. Nikki also celebrates her good friend, Maya Angelou, and the many years of friendship, poetry, and kitchen-table laughter they shared before Angelou’s death in 2014.
A Clip From MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS read by Kenneth Branagh by Harper Audio Presents
This week Ana Maria Allessi sits down with O’Reilly Media founder and author of WTF?, Tim O’Reilly. They discuss how technology platforms can show us how to deal with economic inequality, what Uber and Lyft teach us about cognitive augmentation in jobs, Tim’s experience with policy makers, and so much more.
In today’s economy, we have far too much dismay along with our amazement, and technology bears some of the blame. In this combination of memoir, business strategy guide, and call to action, Tim O'Reilly, Silicon Valley’s leading intellectual and the founder of O’Reilly Media, explores the upside and the potential downsides of today's WTF? technologies.
This week we sit down with the legendary author of Tales of the City, Armistead Maupin to discuss his memoir Logical Family
Reflecting on the profound impact those closest to him have had on his life, Maupin shares his candid search for his "logical family," the people he could call his own. "Sooner or later, we have to venture beyond our biological family to find our logical one, the one that actually makes sense for us," he writes. "We have to, if we are to live without squandering our lives." From his loving relationship with his palm-reading Grannie who insisted Maupin was the reincarnation of her artistic bachelor cousin, Curtis, to an awkward conversation about girls with President Richard Nixon in the Oval Office, Maupin tells of the extraordinary individuals and situations that shaped him into one of the most influential writers of the last century.
Maupin sits down for an interview with Ana Maria Allessi to discuss where he wants to be buried when he dies, writing letters to a girl who fell down a well, his awkward oval office interaction with Richard Nixon, and so much more.
This week’s episode features author, journalist, television commentator, and longtime Washington Insider, Sally Quinn.
In FINDING MAGIC, Sally Quinn speaks frankly about her varied, provocative spiritual experiences—from her Southern family of Presbyterians and psychics, to voodoo lessons from her Baptist nanny, her trials as a hospitalized military kid in Japan as the Korean War begins, to her adventures as a Post reporter and columnist and her experience as one of the first female news anchors on national television; her battles with the Nixon administration, Watergate, and other scandals that have rocked the nation; her courtship and long marriage to one of the most authoritative figures in the media; her role as the capital’s most influential hostess; and her growing fascination with religious issues.
Quinn sits down for an interview with Ana Maria Allessi to discuss the decision to include the word “magic” in the title of the book, her marriage to Ben Bradlee, how to recognize synchronicity, and much more!
Katy Tur is a broadcast journalist and the NBC News correspondent who was tasked with following Donald Trump's presidential campaign. In her new book, UNBELIEVABLE, Tur recounts her experience on the campaign trail.
From day 1 to day 500, Tur documented Trump’s inconsistencies, fact-checked his falsities, and called him out on his lies. In return, Trump repeatedly singled Tur out. He tried to charm her, intimidate her, and shame her. At one point, he got a crowd so riled up against Tur, Secret Service agents had to walk her to her car.
Tur sits down for an interview with Ana Maria Allessi to discuss the difficulty of reading Trump’s tweets for the audiobook, why political reporters don’t vote, her decision not to use a ghostwriter, and much more.
Rounding out our Summer of Excerpts is Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari, and read by Derek Perkins
Most books about the history of humanity pursue either a historical or a biological approach, but Dr. Yuval Noah Harari breaks the mold with this highly original book that begins about 70,000 years ago with the appearance of modern cognition. From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens integrates history and science to reconsider accepted narratives, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and examine specific events within the context of larger ideas.
You can buy the audiobook of Sapiens now at audible http://adbl.co/2gCHmwp
Another installment of our Summer of Excerpts, this week we feature the audiobook of SHATTER ME by Tahereh Mafi and performed by Kate Simses.
The gripping first installment in New York Times bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s Shatter Me series.
One touch is all it takes. One touch, and Juliette Ferrars can leave a fully grown man gasping for air. One touch, and she can kill.
No one knows why Juliette has such incredible power. It feels like a curse, a burden that one person alone could never bear. But The Reestablishment sees it as a gift, sees her as an opportunity. An opportunity for a deadly weapon.
You can listen to the audiobook of SHATTER ME in its entirety at Audible, where it is currently on sale.
Continuing our Summer of Excerpts, this week’s episode features the audiobook NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE US by Stephanie Powell Watts, and performed by Janina Edwards.
It’s THE GREAT GATSBY brilliantly recast in the contemporary South: a powerful first novel about an extended African-American family and their colliding visions of the American Dream.
You can listen to the audiobook of NO ONE IS COMING TO SAVE US in its entirety over at Audible, where it is currently on sale.
Continuing our Summer of Excerpts, this week's episode features the audiobook of Hunger by Roxane Gay.
From the New York Times best-selling author of Bad Feminist, a searingly honest memoir of food, weight, self-image, and learning how to feed your hunger while taking care of yourself.
You can listen to the entire audiobook of Hunger by purchasing it at Audible, where it is currently on sale.
This week on the pod, we listen to an exciting clip from the audiobook of DUNKIRK by Joshua Levine, and performed by Jonathan Keeble
The Battle of Dunkirk, in May/June 1940, is remembered as a stunning defeat, yet a major victory as well. The Nazis had beaten back the Allies and pushed them across France to the northern port of Dunkirk. In the ultimate race against time, more than 300,000 Allied soldiers were daringly evacuated across the Channel. This moment of German aggression was used by Winston Churchill as a call to Franklin Roosevelt to enter the war. Now, historian Joshua Levine explores the real lives of those soldiers, bombed and strafed on the beaches for days on end, without food or ammunition; the civilians whose boats were overloaded; the airmen who risked their lives to buy their companions on the ground precious time; and those who did not escape.
Box office stats say you probably already saw the major motion picture from Christopher Nolan, so now get the whole story! Buy the audiobook of DUNKIRK on audible, where it is currently on sale
On this week's episode, we listen to a clip from the audiobook of THE ALICE NETWORK by Kate Quinn, and performed by Saskia Maarleveld
In an enthralling new historical novel from national bestselling author Kate Quinn, two women—a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947—are brought together in a mesmerizing story of courage and redemption.
You can buy the audiobook of THE ALICE NETWORK on Auidble, where it is currently on sale!
On this week’s episode, we listen to a clip from the audiobook version of PAX by Sara Pennypacker.
The story of a boy and his pet Fox, separated by war, this beautifully wrought, utterly compelling novel about the essential truths that define us and the devastating costs of war, is destined to become a beloved classic.
You can buy the audiobook of PAX on audible, where it is currently on sale!
When Mary Kubica introduced the suspense element to her writing with The Good Girl, she knew she had found her style.
Now a Master of Suspense, Mary Kubica weaves her most chilling thriller to date in Every Last Lie - one that explores the dark recesses of a mind plagued by grief and shows that some secrets might be better left buried.
Ms. Kubica and Ana Maria Allessi sat down at the ABA’s 2017 Winter Institute to discuss Mary’s new book, how to come up with original twists, and her background as a writer.
Megan Whalen Turner's favorite thing about being a writer is that she can give away her creative output while still keeping it on a shelf at home. Her Queen's Thief novels are rich with political machinations, battles, dangerous journeys, divine intervention, power, passion, revenge, and deception. The author sits down with Harper Audio’s Ana Maria Allessi to discuss writing, publishing and her latest stand-alone novel, “Thick As Thieves.”
Jodi Lynn Anderson’s MIDNIGHT AT THE ELECTRIC tell the story of three women – two from different eras of the early 20th century, one from the future – being linked both by their actions and a “very long-lived tortoise.” Anderson says that she likes “to write about magic that’s very realistic,” which was a “constant thread while writing this book.” Grief, love, faith, a “magical glass globe”, and how one’s life can impact others carry a thread between the novel’s three distinct protagonists.
Ms. Anderson and Ana Maria Allessi sat down to discuss this title and the author’s writing life at the ABA’s 2017 Winter Institute.
Jamie Harrison sets her novel in 1905 Livingston Montana because, contrary to popular belief, it was a place of sophistication and flux similar to our world today. THE WIDOW NASH is about a woman who reinvents herself under a new identity. It poses the question, is this cowardice or courage?
Harrison has lived in Montana for almost 30 years and writes when not plying her trade as a technical editor. She’s the daughter of author Jim Harrison.
Daniel Wallace believes his protagonist in EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES, Edsel Bronfman, is the first character he's ever created who "can exist outside the covers of the book." Wallace discusses his new "coming-of-age-late" novel and talks about finding underlying messages in his works after the fact, in today’s interview with Ana Maria Allessi.
Susan Burton tells HarperAudio Presents that lectures and appearances are familiar territory, something she had to master as founder and Executive Director of “A New Way Of Life.” But now they’re in the service of her first book, a memoir entitled “Becoming Ms. Burton.” Burton intends the audience for her addict-to-activist story to include women in prison, because she offers a new vision for their life after incarceration. However, all audiences will gain insight from this story of getting on your feet and giving back.
Lisa Ko’s debut novel THE LEAVERS takes a poignant look at the detainment of undocumented immigrants and the devastating emotional effects it has on their American-born children, who often end up being adopted by families outside of their background. Lisa discusses the novel, her background as a storyteller, and the need for more diverse writers in American literature of today’s episode, recorded at the ABA Winter Institute in January 2017.
"I’ll quit next week" became Laura McBride's motto when her life became too difficult and too busy for writing. The irresistible project was 'Round Midnight, the story of four very different women whose lives come together after sixty years. The setting for their interaction is Las Vegas, McBride's home for nearly 30 years. Speaking with Harper Audio's Ana Maria Allessi at the Winter Institute, McBride reveals some of her greatest strengths and weaknesses as a writer.
Benjamin Ludwig's debut novel GINNY MOON revolves around the title character, a fourteen-year-old girl adopted from the foster care system who is plotting an escape. Ludwig's own daughter is autistic and was adopted as a pre-teen by Benjamin and his wife, though the similarities between her and Ginny Moon begin to diverge after those facts. Today, Ludwig expands upon his parenting and writing backgrounds and dives into his mindset while writing in the voice of an autistic high school student.
Marina Benjamin hopes that people say that her new book THE MIDDLEPAUSE "completely redefines the debate about aging for women." Her approach is to look at aging as "an embodied experience, and put the body very much back in the frame." She took the time to sit down with Ana Maria Allessi at the 2017 ABA Winter Institute to discuss these ideas and others about the changing opportunities women encounter as they progress through their middle years.
In Radical Candor, Kim Scott explains how to be a kickass boss without losing your humanity. Scott was a CEO coach at Dropbox, Twitter, and other Silicon Valley companies. A previously unpublished novelist, she wrote her latest book in Google Docs with ongoing input from 100 invited editors.
Over the past six years, Bassem Youssef went from being a cardiothoracic surgeon who helped protesters during the 2011 Egyptian Revolution to becoming Egypt's most popular political satirist and TV host. After being exiled from Egypt, Bassem moved to America, where he has continued to produce television and practice medicine. He also penned his first book, REVOLUTION FOR DUMMIES, which he speaks about with Ana Maria Allessi in this episode of HarperAudio Presents.
Women In The Castle took Jessica Shattuck seven years to write, and draws on her ambivalence about her German ancestry. Set at the end of World War II, in a crumbling Bavarian castle, this historical novel dwells on characters who are neither victims nor heroes, but who must come to terms with the choices that have defined their lives.
Lauren Grodstein's new novel, OUR SHORT HISTORY, looks into the choices that parents make when faced with their own mortality. The author's inspiration for this novel came about after losing three friends to ovarian cancer, two with children still in elementary school. Ms. Grodstein sits down with Ana Maria in Minneapolis to discuss her own experiences with motherhood, her "other professional life" running an MFA program, and her current focus on essay writing.
When asked about his most marked quality as a writer, “Hearts of Men” author Nickolas Butler answers that it’s sincerity. That quality is evident in this heartfelt interview. Learn the writerly superpower he’d most like to possess and the personal advice an airplane seatmate offered after a bumpy ride.
Pam Jenoff, author of the World War II novel THE ORPHAN'S TALE, discusses her work as a diplomat in Krakow, Poland after the fall of communism, working on relations with the Jewish population who had survived the Holocaust, and how the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks changed her career path from being an attorney to embracing her dream to be a novelist.
Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, Angie Thomas’s YA debut addresses issues of racism and police violence with intelligence and heart. Listen to discover why her editor’s letter made her cry and how she found her literary agent on Twitter.
Christina Baker Kline, author of A PIECE OF THE WORLD, thinks about her book as "a philosophical meditation on what it means to find value in your life."
Today, she discusses the Andrew Wyeth painting "Christina's World", which is the inspiration for the novel, as well as what she's learned about the Wyeth and Olson family histories while researching the book in Mid-Coast Maine.
After a career helping such luminaries as Ben Bradlee and Hillary Clinton pen their books, Barbara Feinman Todd has claimed her own voice in the memoir, “Pretend I’m Not Here.” Listen to a view of behind-the-scenes Washington through the eyes of a woman who worked in the trenches and made headlines.
Neil Gaiman, arguably the most embracing author of audiobooks, takes a break while recording his new book NORSE MYTHOLOGY to discuss his twenty-five year love affair with spoken word recording, as well as his lifelong fascination with myth and folklore.
It took Teresa Messineo seven years to research and pen her debut novel about World War Two nurses, THE FIRE BY NIGHT. The problem? Many of the nurses returning from the Pacific Theatre were forced to sign an oath of secrecy with the US Government hiding their wartime service for a 60-year period. Today, Teresa discusses tracking down first-hand accounts from the few 90-year-old WW2 nurses still remaining in order to collect accurate information for the novel. She also recalls her childhood growing up home-schooled on an organic farm in the '70s, deciding to go to a Catholic high school so she could play basketball, and fabricating her report card - with the help of her father - to get her into an Honors-level English class.
Debbie Cenziper and Jim Obergefell, the co-authors of Love Wins, join us to explain how the story of marriage equality is as much a love story and legal thriller as it is a political tale.
Gene Stone penned an earnest response to our presidential election, The Trump Survival Guide, in 12 days. Learn why (and how) he did it.
Patricia Wells left a career at the New York Times for a two-year writing assignment in France and has remained there for over 35 years. A self-taught cook, Patricia has multiple James Beard Award nominations and wins for her cookbooks, and wrote the much-lauded Food Lover's Guide to Paris. Today, she takes Ana Maria Allessi through her writing career, life as a French food celebrity, and the only thing she uses the microwave for.
Complete with merrily drunken Aunties and sleeping Uncles, Dylan Thomas’s “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” evokes the snowy, cozy Christmas of everybody’s memory or fantasy. Hear the narrative brought to life by its author in this classic recording.
Nearly 30 years after her untimely death, Kathleen Collins’ fiction is gaining exposure and earning the admiration of Zadie Smith, Roxane Gay, and Miranda July – to name just a few. Her daughter, Nina Collins, assembled the forthcoming collection, “Whatever Happened to Interracial Love?” Here, she discusses life with her dynamic mother.
Jason Diamond's unstable young life in Chicagoland split between divorced parents helped drive his obsession with the tragicomic movies of John Hughes, such as The Breakfast Club and Home Alone. When life eventually led Diamond to New York City in the pursuit of authoring a Hughes biography, his eventual book editor persuaded him to write his memoirs instead – focusing on the impact Hughes' movies had on the author. Today, Jason Diamond talks with Ana Maria Allessi about failure, Florida, Cubs fandom, and the book writing process.
It is harvest season 1881 in a Little Town on the Prairie. Laura Ingalls is 15, and in the midst of what Ma describes as “a whirl of gaiety.” In celebration of Thanksgiving, Harper Audio presents the award-winning actress Cherry Jones narrating a holiday scene from the 7th book of the classic Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
In Wally Lamb's new novel I'LL TAKE YOU THERE, Felix, a film scholar who runs a Monday night movie club, encounters the ghost of a movie director from Hollywood's silent era who invites him to relive scenes from his past projected on the movie screen. It should come as no surprise that in today's interview, Mr. Lamb discusses the impact that myths retold in a modern light have had on his creative process. Also listen to Wally touch upon his decades as both an educator and student, his fear of starting each novel from a blank slate, and what invigorates him about today's publishing industry.
In Jyotsna Hariharan's debut audio-original drama REBUTTAL, the author weaves her introverted upbringing as a literature geek into an radio drama about two high school students from imperfect homes and the debate team that brought them together. Listen as Jyotsna weaves her path from a marketing career in India to a being a published playwright in New York, and the process of having actors collaborate to bring her vision of REBUTTAL to life.
"Some showed courage throughout the whole of their political lives. Others sail with the wind until the decisive moment when their conscience and events propel them into the center of the storm." – John F. Kennedy
On the week of the most divisive presidential elections in modern times, we take a moment to contemplate the words of then Senator John F. Kennedy from his Pulitzer Prize winning book Profiles in Courage, and hear excerpts from the audiobook recording made by his children, John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Caroline Kennedy.
Who was the monster in middle school and who was the nerd? Beth Newell and Sarah Pappalardo, co-founders of the satirical website Reductress, talk about extending their online collaboration into the book format.
Mister Monkey, Francine Prose’s latest novel, is as humorous, poignant and spiritual as an onstage monkey with a halo slipping on a banana. The author tells us which autobiographical elements had to be disguised to protect the guilty.
Andrew Harwell, senior editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books, describes how the graphic novel NIMONA became a full cast audiobook. He also reveals what book he rereads every year, and what being an author taught him about being an editor.
Fourteen years after the New York Times bestselling anthology THE BITCH IN THE HOUSE ushered in an unfiltered voice for a generation of young women, Cathi Hanauer has returned with a more mature, wiser, and "less angry" follow-up in THE BITCH IS BACK.
Hanauer discusses her selection of this collection's 16 new contributors - ranging from a transgender middle-aged woman to one who was in an arranged marriage - and follows up with 9 authors from the first volume whose lives have changed dramatically in the generation between books.
Pen Oliviera is a badass gamer girl and a gender-nonconforming teen, stuck in a small town outside Toronto. Listen as M-E Girard, first-time author, reveals the one thing she refused to give up and the one thing she had to give up in order to have her young adult novel accepted by a major American publisher.
Danielle Trussoni, author of THE FORTRESS, tells us how a google search for “paradise” yielded her a fortress and how 25 rejections yielded her a bestseller.
Mark Manson, author of the recently published millennial self-help book THE SUBTLE ART OF NOT GIVING A FCK, went from selling dating advice products online to helping people live a more meaningful life. How’d he do it? It’s “The Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fck.” Give it an effin’ listen.
(One of the books mentioned in this episode is COWS, PIGS, WARS, AND WITCHES: THE RIDDLES OF CULTURE by Marvin Harris)
Gilly Macmillan, bestselling author of WHAT SHE KNEW, joins us this week to chat about her upcoming thriller THE PERFECT GIRL. Listen in as Gilly tells us about writing one ending instead of three, the music genre equivalent of a thriller novel (you’ll never guess), and which novel she thinks about the most.
Summerland is our favorite vacation spot that we're not quite ready to part with. It’s also a fantasy novel for all ages by the Pulitzer Prize winning author, Michael Chabon. This week we feature a clip of Summerland (the novel), performed by Michael Chabon himself.
Best-selling author Wendy Corsi Staub writes like a rocket, so we’re not entirely surprised that she managed to give birth on a Sunday and revise Ed Koch’s manuscript by Wednesday. Listen in as we chat with Wendy about red herrings, swimming to audiobooks, and the scariest thing in the entire world.
Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has always been notorious! Impressed by legal victories over the red-baiting of McCarthyism, Kiki – RBG's childhood nickname – decided to become a lawyer. At Harvard Law she made Law Review, despite her sense that the few female students were regarded as exotic animals in a menagerie. This excerpt from her 2015 biography explores her origins.
Get a sneak peek at the new Hercule Poirot mystery Closed Casket!
When Agatha Christie's Estate chose bestselling author Sophie Hannah to write the next Hercule Poirot mystery, Sophie realized that she'd always had a very Christie-ish mystery in mind, one that would be perfect for Poirot and his little grey cells. Sophie joins us for a chat about high expectations, calm bravery, and the brilliantly simple murder motive in her upcoming Hercule Poirot mystery Closed Casket We're keeping mum on the motive, but stay tuned after the interview to listen to the first chapter of Closed Casket.
Thomas Jefferson is dead. That was the slur flung at him during the election campaign of 1800. Join us at HarperAudio Presents as Joseph Cummins, author of ANYTHING FOR A VOTE, shows us that dirty electioneering is nothing new.
This week, we are especially grateful for bright, brave minds like those of Kennedy Odede and Jessica Posner, authors of FIND ME UNAFRAID. Join us for a timely re-listen to be reminded of an individual’s capacity to make a meaningful difference in the world around them.
Debbie Cenziper and Jim Obergefell, the coauthors of LOVE WINS, join us to explain how the story of marriage equality is as much a love story and a legal thriller as it is a political tale. Download the audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062471475&retailer=apple and Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062471475&retailer=audible
Beatriz Williams, author of A CERTAIN AGE, stops by to chat about the dangers of proposal-by-proxy, the difference between historical fiction and vintage fiction, and introduces us to the Carrie Bradshaw of the 1920’s.
PS: The 1930’s book on 1920’s history that Beatriz mentions is Only Yesterday by Frederick Lewis Allen.
Download the audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062445186&retailer=apple and Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062445186&retailer=audible
Journalist Katherine Ozment joins us to discuss new book GRACE WITHOUT GOD and to describe how a Good Friday question from her 9 year old prompted her to explore secular approaches to religious ritual.
Bill Lascher joins us to discuss his upcoming book, EVE OF A HUNDRED MIDNIGHTS, about a pair of war journalist sweethearts who fell in love while covering WWII in the field. Their story is as sweet as it is completely outrageous. Did we mention that they brought two pandas on their honeymoon at the friendly behest of the First Lady of China? Download the audiobok via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062472045&retailer=apple and Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062472045&retailer=audible
ALL SUMMER LONG, Dorothea Benton Frank’s latest novel, was the topic of conversation when we rang her up the other day – along with her assessment of her fans, her views on second chances, and her secret to a long-lasting marriage. Download the audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062466662&retailer=apple and Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062466662&retailer=audible
Emily Winslow returns for PART THREE to discuss JANE DOE JANUARY – her memoir about the cold-case prosecution of the serial rapist who attacked her over 20 years ago. Download the audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062471444&retailer=apple and Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062471444&retailer=audible
Join us for an excerpt of Sylvia Plath’s THE BELL JAR, as performed by Maggie Gyllenhaal. Download the audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780060886646&retailer=apple and Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780060886646&retailer=audible
Emily Winslow joins us to discuss JANE DOE JANUARY – her memoir about the cold-case prosecution of the serial rapist who attacked her over 20 years ago.
Download the audiobook via iTunes ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?is…retailer=apple or Audible ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?is…tailer=audible
According to her celebrated journalist son, Anderson Cooper, Gloria Vanderbilt has been famous perhaps longer than any other person on earth. Hear how and why this influential mother and son duo began a year-long journey of truly getting to know each other.
Emily Winslow joins us to discuss JANE DOE JANUARY – her memoir about the cold-case prosecution of the serial rapist who attacked her over 20 years ago. Emily reflects on forgiveness, the relationship of faith to tragedy, and the absolute need for openness. This is the first of three conversations with Emily Winslow, each featuring an excerpt from JANE DOE JANUARY. Download the audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062471444&retailer=apple or Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062471444&retailer=audible
Hear what brought Charles Dubow to fiction-writing after stints as a sheepherder and a Congressional aide, followed by a career as a magazine editor. He’ll also explain what brought his fiction to HarperCollins. Download the audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062394910&retailer=apple or Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062394910&retailer=audible
Ex Paratrooper Sean McFate stops by to talk about his years in the private military complex; the strange intersection of business, politics, and international affairs; and using fiction to better understand non-fiction in his upcoming novel SHADOW WAR. Download the audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062471918&retailer=apple and Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062471918&retailer=audible
Hear why the film ‘The Wrestler’ caused Stephanie Evanovich to abandon a 30 year acting career. Stephanie drops by to discuss football and the writing life. Download the audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062234889&retailer=apple and Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062234889&retailer=audible
Kemper Donovan, author of THE DECENT PROPOSAL, stopped by to chat about the unexpected luxury of limited choices, the wish fulfillment we find in the TV show Friends, and the very sweet practice of 2 person book clubs. Download the audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062446114&retailer=apple and Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062446114&retailer=audible
What is your gut type? Dr. Josh Axe, author of Eat Dirt, explains the five basic types – and tells us what he and his wife eat to celebrate.
Download the audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062444974&retailer=apple and Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062444974&retailer=audible
There are two camps when it comes to THE NEST by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney – those who find the ending happy and those who find it so, so sad. Cynthia lands in the middle but has a theory on why some people see it one way and not the other. She also listens to her own audiobook in the car (for research purposes!), broke a cardinal rule of MFA programs, and writes to entertain herself, not a potential publisher. It all completely pans out. Scroll to the bottom to see her star-studded (and hilarious) book trailer: https://www.harpercollins.com/9780062414212/the-nest
Download the audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062443830&retailer=apple and Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062443830&retailer=audible
Debut YA novelist Brittany Cavallaro, author of A STUDY IN CHARLOTTE, dropped by to discuss how she ended up in boarding school, her perhaps unorthodox writing regimen, and her intense relationship with her First Readers. Download the audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062417329&retailer=apple or Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062417329&retailer=audible
Historical fiction authors Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie stop by to talk about their new book AMERICA'S FIRST DAUGHTER. They give us the scoop on Patsy Jefferson (AKA the Forrest Gump of the 18th Century), how to co-author via video chat, and help decode what it might mean if you see two ladies shrieking at Monticello. Download the audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062463548&retailer=apple or Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062463548&retailer=audible
You know how the Bechtel Test judges literature by whether there are two female characters who have a conversation about something other than a man? Hear how Jennifer Robson employs a mix of true-life and invented characters to portray the Parisian Lost Generation world of Hemingway and Fitzgerald, while still passing the Test. Download the audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062444653&retailer=apple or Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062444653&retailer=audible
Victoria Aveyard gave us a call and revealed RED QUEEN character secrets, her Hogwarts counterpart, and how her love of maps guided her proudest accomplishment (hint: it’s not writing and publishing RED QUEEN in under a year). Download the audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062346513&retailer=apple or Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062346513&retailer=audible
When she was 10 years old, Alison Gaylin read Helter Skelter-- the true crime story of the Manson Murders-- and never looked back. Meet the characters populating her addictive new novel WHAT REMAINS OF ME and dissect a fictional Hollywood celebrity murder. Download the audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062444905&retailer=apple or Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062444905&retailer=audible
Maggie Leffler, author of THE SECRETS OF FLIGHT, stops by for a chat about learning to land a WWII plane using YouTube, the connection between doctors and authors, and her clever method for writing a spot-on teenage girl character (hint: she’s kept a journal since forever). Preorder the downloadable audiobbook via Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062498946&retailer=audible or iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062498946&retailer=apple
Hear from the New York Times Kabul Bureau Chief Rod Nordland about his new book THE LOVERS, which tells the true story of a young Afghan couple who defied their families and Islamic law to first declare their love for one another. And stay tuned for Rod Nordland’s “breakfast test.” Download THE LOVERS audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062444684&retailer=apple and Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062444684&retailer=audible
This week we have two very special guests from the novel BE FRANK WITH ME: Julia Claiborne Johnson (the author), and voice actress Tavia Gilbert (the audiobook narrator). Tavia reveals her process for finding each character’s unique voice and Julia shares how her dapper husband and son introduced her to an unexpected outlet of genius.
Abundance Now is LISA NICHOLS’ behind-the-scenes story of her rise from a single mom who couldn’t afford Pampers to a millionaire entrepreneur who enjoys work and play getaways to St. Thomas and Australia’s Gold Coast. “I wrote this book for all the ‘me’s out there,” Lisa explains in this podcast, “to shave years, to shave stress off their journey.” Download the ABUNDANCE NOW audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062420848&retailer=apple or Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062420848&retailer=audible
Todd Rose went from a 0.9 high school GPA (did you know they could get that low?!) to a Harvard PhD. Todd joined us to chat about the science of the individual, the madness of speed tests, and the confusing problem of a so-called average sized cockpit. Download THE END OF AVERAGE audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062415806&retailer=apple or Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062415806&retailer=audible
In this 1973 recording, author Anthony Burgess gives a masterful performance of Chapter One of his dystopian novel, “A Clockwork Orange.” Burgess was a linguist and a polyglot, as well as an author, and the dialect he created for his teenage protagonist bursts forth in a seemingly effortless flow. Download A CLOCKWORK ORANGE audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780061450877&retailer=apple or Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780061450877&retailer=audible
Dorothy Parker’s most famous and autobiographical piece, Big Blonde, won the O’Henry Award in 1929. Cynthia Nixon, the Grammy and Tony Award-winning actress, performs this tale of an aging party girl. Download THE DOROTHY PARKER AUDIO COLLECTION via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780060846282&retailer=apple or Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780060846282&retailer=audible
Harper’s own Senior Art Director Robin Bilardello stops by the studio to talk about book cover creation, her current circus status, and how to handle yourself if (when?) somebody says your work looks like cheese.
Why was the solution to poor sales of a bread-making machine the introduction of an additional bread-making machine? Behavioral Economist Dan Ariely offers the answer to this and other economic curiosities in his groundbreaking 2008 work, Predictably Irrational. Download the PREDICTABLY IRRATIONAL audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780061629532&retailer=apple or Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780061629532&retailer=audible
From his origins as a starving musician playing dive bars to getting Paul Stanley to read on his latest and most ambitious audiobook, Mitch Albom connects the dots and sees his life come full circle. Download THE MAGIC STRINGS OF FRANKIE PRESTO audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062420022&retailer=apple or Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062420022&retailer=audible
Can a soccer ball transform a violent slum? Yes! Kennedy Odede and Jessica Posner, authors of Find Me Unafraid, stopped by the studio to talk about the world being a very small village, the best way to break down a problem, and the myth of an unfightable giant. Download the FIND ME UNAFRAID audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062416674&retailer=apple or Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062416674&retailer=audible
Masterful nonfiction stylist Simon Winchester reveals that he might never have become a writer had he not been colorblind. Lucky for us, his Christmas wreaths are monochrome. Winchester mines the Pacific Ocean for stories about transistor radios, the origins of the California surfing craze, and the lessons to be learned from navigating by the stars. Download the PACIFIC audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062420060&retailer=appleor Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062420060&retailer=audible
Ben McPherson’s new thriller, A Line of Blood, has exactly zero aliens in it but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t directly inspired by Ridley Scott’s Alien. Listen in as Ben discusses the seeping power of fear, the transformative power of funny Flaubert, and what might happen if you listen to the theme from Psycho on repeat. Download the A LINE OF BLOOD audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062419859&retailer=apple or Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062419859&retailer=audible
A poem about Clark Gable, a nun in full habit, and a photograph are the unlikely elements behind Adriana Trigiani’s new novel, ALL THE STARS IN THE HEAVENS. Take an afternoon off, watch an old movie and listen in as we talk with the endlessly fascinating artist and the research behind her new book. Download the ALL THE STARS IN THE HEAVENS audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062419903&retailer=apple or Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062419903&retailer=audible
Even if your father didn’t tell you mother that it was either “him or that gator” (“that” gator being the 5 foot long alligator living in the bathtub), you’ll still get a kick out of Homer Hickam’s upcoming novel Carrying Albert Home. Listen in as Homer tells us about his parents (who really did have the “it’s the gator or me” talk), the inspirational force of a lackluster SCUBA article, and his reptilian connection to Jed Clampett. Download the CARRYING ALBERT HOME audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062421173&retailer=apple or Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062421173&retailer=audible
Myths, Westerns and recipes...Oh my! Simon Toyne joins us in conversation about his new eerie book THE SEARCHER. Simon Toyne shares a BIG clue to his new book, why he writes the ending first and who the real talent in his family is (no, it's not him!). Download THE SEARCHER audiobook via iTunes http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062395221&retailer=apple or Audible http://ads.harpercollins.com/hcaudiopres?isbn=9780062395221&retailer=audible
Karin Slaughter brings us up to speed on the sincere joys of sister-scaring, the reason there’s no sequel to Gone With the Wind, and why she’s surprised every time some friendly stranger hands her a baby.
Olympian Suzy Favor Hamilton stopped by the studio and gave us a very personal account of her very public ups and downs. Listen in as we discuss Suzy’s fascinating life – from a faux fall in the 2000 Olympics to a brief stint as a Vegas Escort – and the Bipolar disorder that was at work beneath the surface.
Listen in as we call teen novelist Julie Murphy about her new book Dumplin'. Julie breaks down gender norms, body shame, and forgiveness. We also got to hear about her childhood dreams (it's not what you'd think!), her tattoos (think books and cats), and the feeling she wishes she could bottle up and give to herself in times of need.
Ron Rash, author of Serena and the new novel Above the Waterfall, joins us by phone to talk about how all of his novels begin with a visual image, and how the image of dead trout being pulled from a river led to his most hopeful novel yet.
You asked for it, Christopher Moore answered: questions from fans about his favorite authors, thoughts on sequels and bringing back characters, how it feels to be required reading for college students, and MORE. Don’t miss the dish from the author of A Dirty Job and its sequel, Secondhand Souls, described by USA Today as a ‘fantastically bizarre new novel”. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, Chris is every bit as entertaining as his books.
Dan Halpern, publisher and President of Ecco, and winner of the 2015 Maxwell Perkins Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Field of Fiction, talks about his life’s twists and turns – stories about how his college roommate, a Hemmingway lookalike, got him interested in poetry, how Paul Bowles invited him to Morocco and asked him to start a literary magazine, and how luck, optimism and a little bit of obsessiveness played a role in his great and varied accomplishments.
Parnaz Foroutan, living the dream of becoming a published author, talks about her novel Girl From the Garden – based a tale told countless times by the family elders, of the life of two brothers in early twentieth-century Iran and a crisis of inheritance. It’s a poignant, evocative story about family sacrifice and betrayal, and the indelible legacy of the families that forge us.
Want to give the children in your life the gift that keeps on giving? Give them the gift of failure. Jessica Lahey, New York Times columnist and Atlantic Magazine contributor tells you how to teach children responsibility, organization, manners, restraint, and foresight. Lahey offers encouragement and targeted advice. It’s easier than you might think!
Listen in as we call Chris Moore to get the scoop on Secondhand Souls, the upcoming sequel to A Dirty Job. Chris makes us feel a little better about eavesdropping, tells us how reading westerns leads to writing comedy, and clues us in that clouds are the new freezers. Listen and learn! Got a question for Chris? Ask and tag it with #MoreChrisMoore on his Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/theauthorguy) or on Twitter by August 12th and listen for your answer when Chris returns to HarperAudio Presents on August 31st.
Hear Elizabeth Lowell, author of the new novel, Perfect Touch, talk about how it was her husband who encouraged her to write her first romance novel (and how she came to the name ‘Elizabeth Lowell’), her belief that you are never through learning in life, how she hope her readers feel renewed vs. ‘chewed’, and the challenge of the ‘great sagging middle’ of every novel.
Enjoy an excerpt of GO SET A WATCHMAN, written by Harper Lee and narrated by Reese Witherspoon. In this excerpt Jean Louise Finch, commonly known as Scout, and Henry (Hank) Clinton, are driving to Finch’s landing. Hank’s mention of their old friend, Dill, prompts Scout to recall events of a summer long ago.
Jill Morrow talks about her novel, Newport: “set in the 1920’s and a skillful alchemy of social satire, dark humor, and finely drawn characters.
Listen to an excerpt of The Minority Report, the short story published in 1956 and adapted into a Steven Spielberg feature film in 2002, questions the concept of free will in a society whose crime-free ideal supports incarcerating people based on the prediction of future crimes.
David Nicholl’s new novel, US, received rave reviews in People, O Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Good Housekeeping, Time, and more and is now available in paperback. Hear Nicholls tell us how he wanted to write a male character that was distinct from his leading character in his previous, very popular novel, ONE DAY, his idea of a perfect vacation, and the books he would take to a desert island. Also in this episode: an audiobook excerpt, performed by Olivier Award winning actor David Haig.
Meg Cabot on why she still feels like an outsider and what she does to diminish anxiety (it involves writing, but not the way you might think), why she’ll have an anniversary party rather than renew her wedding vows, and what Princess Mia is up to after all these years.
Hear bestselling author Susane Colasanti talk about her new book City Love, the story of sisterhood in NYC –three girls move in together for a summer of adventure, romantic love, and self-discovery. Susane tells us what a soulmate is – and isn’t, how the hope for a happy life got her through miserable years in high school, and the power of being exactly who you are.
Hear Margo Rabb, author of KISSING IN AMERICA, on why she starts each writing day by reading a poem, the importance of keeping a journal and how it’s more than OK to be a young adult writer.
In this double-interview episode we hear from the master storyteller and multiple Moth Story Slam winner, David Crabb, about his hilarious coming-of-age memoir, BAD KID. Bonus interview with Cleary Wolters, real-life former lover of Piper Kerman, the author of ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, about her new memoir, OUT OF ORANGE.
Dan Levy, award-winning comedian, writer, and producer, talks to Whitney Cummings, creator and star of the NBC sitcom Whitney, as well as the co-creator of the CBS sitcom 2 Broke Girls, in an excerpt from a hilarious new podcast from Dan, called People in My Phone, where he interviews his friends, or people in his phone.
Stephen Dubner talks about how the life of musician held less appeal than the life of a writer – (and what other pursuits he considered in addition to writing), his first book Choosing Your Religion, and how he selected the 133 pieces that make up When to Rob a Bank.
Listen to exclusive author commentary and an excerpt from ‘Day Six’ from Ryan Gattis’ ALL INVOLVED, a gritty and cinematic work of fiction that vividly re-creates Los Angeles after the 1992 verdict to acquit LA police officers accused of beating Rodney King. In this final excerpt Gattis tells us about the character Mikey and his relationship to the murder victim Ernesto Vera. Narrator Anthony Ray Perez reads. WARNING: Excerpt is intended for mature audiences only, is unsuitable for children and contains graphic language. (Excerpts from Days One through Five are available from HarperAudio Presents)
Norton Juster, author of The Phantom Tollbooth, discusses how writing this classic children’s book came about (procrastination is involved), how as a child he found apartment buildings with elevators fascinating, and how some questions from his editor stumped him. David Hyde Pierce, reads the first chapter from the book.
Listen to exclusive author commentary and an excerpt from ‘Day Five’ from Ryan Gattis’ ALL INVOLVED, a gritty and cinematic work of fiction that vividly re-creates Los Angeles after the 1992 verdict to acquit LA police officers accused of beating Rodney King. In this excerpt Gattis tells us about the character ‘Termite’ and his relationship to the murder victim Ernesto Vera. Narrator Anthony Ray Perez reads. WARNING: Excerpt is intended for mature audiences only, is unsuitable for children and contains graphic language. (Excerpts from Days One through Four are available from HarperAudio Presents)
Join Austin Bunn, whose fiction and nonfiction has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Village Voice, Salon, The Atlantic, One Story, and many other publications talk about his short story collection, THE BRINK. It’s a fascinating conversation that covers his approach to creating titles, why he believes the television pilot is the new novel, and his work with the Patient Voice Project.
Listen to exclusive author commentary and an excerpt from ‘Day Four’ from Ryan Gattis’ ALL INVOLVED, a gritty and cinematic work of fiction that vividly re-creates Los Angeles after the 1992 verdict to acquit LA police officers accused of beating Rodney King. In this excerpt Gattis tells us about the character ‘Clever’ and his relationship to the murder victim Ernesto Vera. Narrator Anthony Ray Perez reads. WARNING: Excerpt is intended for mature audiences only, is unsuitable for children and contains graphic language. (Excerpts from Days One through Three are available from HarperAudio Presents)
Listen to exclusive author commentary and an excerpt from ‘Day Three from Ryan Gattis’ ALL INVOLVED, a gritty and cinematic work of fiction that vividly re-creates Los Angeles after the 1992 verdict to acquit LA police officers accused of beating Rodney King. In this excerpt Gattis tells us about the character nurse Gloria Rubio and her relationship to the murder victim Ernesto Vera. Narrator Marisol Ramirez reads.
WARNING: Excerpt is intended for mature audiences only, is unsuitable for children and contains graphic language.
(Excerpts from Days One and Two available from HarperAudio Presents)
In 1956, Caedmon had the great fortune to record Eudora Welty reading five of her finest stories. In her sweetly vibrant Mississippi drawl, Ms. Welty deftly draws the listener in to the uproariously multilayered Why I Live at the P.O. and now we have the the great fortune to listen. Here now is Eudora Welty reading her short story, Why I live at the P.O.
Congratulations to Neal Shusterman – his YA novel, Challenger Deep just won the 2015 National Book Award for Young People! Challenger Deep uses a split world to convey a young man’s struggle to determine his reality in the face of schizophrenia – hear about the deeply personal origins of the novel as well as an excerpt.
WARNING: Excerpt is intended for mature audiences only, is unsuitable for children and contains graphic language. (Excerpt from Day One available from HarperAudio Presents)
Listen to exclusive author commentary and an excerpt from ‘Day Two’ from Ryan Gottis’ ALL INVOLVED, a gritty and cinematic work of fiction that vividly re-creates Los Angeles after the 1992 verdict to acquit LA police officers accused of beating Rodney King. In this excerpt Gattis tells us about the character Big Fate and his relationship to the murder victim Ernesto Vera. Narrator Anthony Ray Perez reads.
None of the Above, a first novel by I.W. Gregorio, is Mean Girls meets Middlesex -- a groundbreaking story about a teenage girl who discovers she was born intersex . . . and what happens when her secret is revealed to the entire school. Hear Gregorio talk about why we need ‘window’ books in addition to ‘mirror’ books; how training to be a surgeon made her a better writer and the joy of the editorial letter.
Hear Ryan Gattis discuss his new book ALL INVOLVED, a gritty and cinematic work of fiction that vividly re-creates Los Angeles after the 1992 verdict to acquit LA police officers accused of beating Rodney King. In the novel Gattis tells 17 interconnected first-person narratives -- gang members, firefighters, graffiti kids, and nurses caught up in extraordinary circumstances that paint a portrait of modern America itself—laying bare our history, our prejudices, and our complexities. All Involved is a literary tour de force that catapults Ryan Gattis into the ranks of such legendary talents as Dennis Lehane and Richard Price. WARNING: Excerpt Intended for mature audiences only and is unsuitable for children. Excerpt contains graphic language.
Jason Miller talks about his debut novel, DOWN DON’T BOTHER ME, an atmospheric, wickedly funny mystery set in the flat and withering landscape of the southern Illinois mining country known as “little Egypt”.
Laura Lippman is heralded for thoughtful, timely crime novels set in her beloved hometown of Baltimore. Now a perennial New York Times bestseller, HUSH HUSH is her 12th book to feature private detective and new mother Tess Monaghan, working on a disturbing case involving murder and a manipulative mother.
Lauren Oliver, author of New York Times bestselling novels BEFORE I FALL, PANIC, and the DELIRIUM trilogy, talks to us about her new novel, VANISHING GIRLS, a gripping story about two sisters inexorably altered by a terrible accident. Lauren shares how she approaches writing for different audiences, why she chooses a central question for each of her books, how good books can explore scary topics in a safe way, the differences between writing a novel and screenplay and how screenwriting stretched her as a novelist.
Since its original landmark publication in 1980, Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States has been chronicling American history from the bottom up, throwing out the official version of history taught in schools–with its emphasis on great men in high places–to focus on the street, the home, and the workplace. In this recording you’ll hear from Zinn reading from his introduction to the book, and you’ll hear Matt Damon, an American actor and Academy Award-winning screenwriter for his work on Good Will Hunting, read passages that span the Summer of 1966, the 1967 Urban Riots in Newark and Detroit, the Civil Rights Act of 1968, to name a few highlights.
KIM GORDON is an artist, musician, producer, fashion designer, writer and actress. She is a founding member of the experimental post-punk band Sonic Youth and she’s written a fierce, honest story of her life, Girl in a Band. Hear Kim discuss her writing process and influences on her work.
Rising literary star T. Geronimo Johnson talks about his darkly humorous novel, WELCOME TO BRAGGSVILLE, where, as Ron Rash says, ‘every racial assumption is both acknowledged and challenged in ways that are at times hilarious, at other times poignant’.
Debut author Jasmine Warga discusses MY HEART AND OTHER BLACK HOLES, a stunning novel about the transformative power of love.
Join Peter Lerangis, author of children's and young-adult fiction, best known for his Seven Wonders series and three titles in the New York Times-bestselling children's-book series The 39 Clues, as he tells us how he decided to pursue the life he wanted versus the life he was expected to lead, and how this courageous act, combined with failing at his job as a waiter, propelled him to a hugely successful writing career.
The audio recording of Zora Neal Hurston’s EVERY TONGUE GOT TO CONFESS features the voices of legendary actors, civil rights activists and humanitarians Ruby Dee and Ossie Davis. The recording was monumental, capturing the heart and soul of the vital, independent, and creative community that so inspired Zora Neale Hurston. Here is Ruby Dee reading from the book’s introduction followed by Ossie Davis reading parts of God Tales: Why God Made Adam Last.
A side of Mike Greenberg, co-host of Mike & Mike, the most popular sports radio program in America, you may not be familiar with – the man who sees authors as idols and plans to continue writing books for the rest of his life. Hear how his favorite book on golf has influenced his writing, what his yoga instructor has to say about his female characters and how he plots his New York Times bestselling novels.
Allen Kurzweil discusses how he came to write WHIPPING BOY, a childhood memoir and literary thriller that chronicles Kurzweil's forty-year-search for his twelve-year-old nemesis, a bully named Cesar Augustus, who went on to lead a mad-cap life of international crime and financial fraud.
Carrie Thornton, Editorial Director of Dey Street Books, talks to us about how she got started in the industry, the books she loves, the books she can’t live without, and the provocative books she’s published.
Join Dr. Jensen as she translates recent medical discoveries and clinical trials into easily understood information about the brains of teenagers. Dr. Jensen offers a revolutionary look at the adolescent brain, and provides remarkable insights that translate into practical advice for both parents and teenagers.
THIS WEEK: Jennifer Robson is the USA Today and #1 Toronto Globe & Mail bestselling author of SOMEWHERE IN FRANCE. Her second book, AFTER THE WAR IS OVER, is a tale of class, love, and freedom-in which a young woman must find her place in a world forever changed. Hear her discuss how her family influenced her work, the role research plays in her writing and which books she regularly re-reads.
This holiday season celebrate the joy of poetry with former poet laureate Billy Collins as he introduces the historic Caedmon recording of poet Dylan Thomas reading A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS IN WALES (in its entirety) recorded in February of 1952.
THIS WEEK: NY Times Bestselling author Richard Kadrey sits down with HarperAudio producer, Caitlin Garing, to talk about his new book GETAWAY GOD. Dark urban fantasy character, Sandman Slim, is back to save the world from the vengeful gods in this sixth installment of the bestselling series. In this episode, Kadrey speaks on anthropological forensics, what his writing teacher taught him, and the two sentences that started the popular series.
Maira Kalman is the illustrator of The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr., and author of And the Pursuit of Happiness and The Principles of Uncertainty. Her latest book, My Favorite Things (HarperCollins, October 2014), is a beautiful pictorial and narrative exploration of the significance of objects in our lives, drawn from her personal artifacts, recollections, and selections from the collection of the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. Hear her thoughts on what it means to be an optimist, the importance of taking a walk, and her Proust book group.
Audiobook producer Caitlin Garing speaks to experienced narrator Katherine Kellgren about how she gives voice to a gargoyle, why she imitates Dame Edith Evans, and what she thinks of Neil Gaiman as a narrator.
Syracuse basketball coach Jim Boeheim talks about his 6-overtime game against UConn and Coach Calhoun, the pros and cons of zone defense, Big East vs. ACC, and what he thinks of casting Tom Cruise to play Jack Reacher, among other things.
Richard Ford talks about how the commotion of Hurricane Sandy led him to publish another work featuring Frank Bascombe, what Emerson taught him about character, and why the middle section of TO THE LIGHTHOUSE earned the novel a spot on his desert island booklist.
In this episode we hear from authors Patricia Cornwell and David Nicholls, both with new novels available now and both with fascinating insight into character development.
Patricia Cornwell, author of FLESH AND BLOOD, the 22nd book to feature the detective Kay Scarpetta, talks with her editor, David Highfill, about how she used research into new, high tech weapons to try to trick Scarpetta, an attempt that she says always ultimately fails. And David Nicholls tells us about his desire to write a male protagonist for his new book, US, that is in direct contrast to the leading character in his previous, very popular novel, ONE DAY.
A discussion about writing genre fiction for adult and children with New York Times bestselling authors Garth Nix, author of the Old Kingdom series including the prequel Clariel, and the duo behind Ilona Andrews, author of several series including the upcoming Hidden Legacy series.
Together they talk about how they build their works, creating rules for magic and of course the genres so many of us love, science fiction and fantasy.
Lauren Oliver, the New York Times bestselling author of the Delirium trilogy, Before I Fall, and Panic, discusses her new novel ROOMS with @HarperAudio_US producer Caitlin Garing. This episode also includes an excerpt from the audio edition which is performed by Orlagh Cassidy, Barbara Caruso, Elizabeth Evans, Noah Galvin, and Cynthia Darlow.
ABOUT ROOMS
After a number of highly acclaimed New York Times bestsellers, including the Delirium trilogy and the standalone novels Before I Fall and Panic, Lauren Oliver returns with a spellbinding tale that confirms her place as one of our finest storytellers. Fueled by the same inspired feel for plot and character that drew readers to Oliver's earlier works, Rooms is a mesmerizing and suspenseful story of guilt, love, and family secrets.
Estranged patriarch Richard Walker has died, leaving behind a country house full of rooms packed with the detritus of a lifetime. His alienated family—bitter ex-wife Caroline, troubled teenage son Trenton, and unforgiving daughter Minna—have arrived for their inheritance.
But the Walkers are not alone. Alice and Sandra, two long-dead and restless ghosts, linger within the house's claustrophobic walls, bound eternally to its physical structure. Jostling for space and memory, they observe the family, trading barbs and reminiscences about their past lives. Though their voices cannot be heard, Alice and Sandra speak through the house itself—in the hiss of the radiator, a creak in the stairs, the dimming of a lightbulb.
The living and dead are haunted by painful truths that surface with explosive force. When a new ghost appears, and Trenton begins to communicate with her, the spirit and human worlds collide—with cataclysmic results.
Elegantly constructed and brilliantly paced, Rooms is an enticing and imaginative ghost story and a searing family drama that is as haunting as it is resonant.
Author, journalist and letterpress printer Alix Christie discusses her debut novel, Gutenberg's Apprentice (on-sale: September 23, 2014), with @HarperAudio_US producer Erin Wicks. This episode also includes an excerpt from the audio edition read by Robert Petkoff.
ABOUT GUTENBERG'S APPRENTICE
An enthralling literary debut that evokes one of the most momentous events in history, the birth of printing in medieval Germany—a story of invention, intrigue, and betrayal.
Youthful, ambitious Peter Schoeffer is on the verge of professional success as a scribe in Paris when his foster father, the wealthy merchant and bookseller Johann Fust, summons him home to corruption- riddled, feud-plagued Mainz to meet "a most amazing man."
Johann Gutenberg, a driven and caustic inventor, has devised a revolutionary—and, to some, blasphemous—method of bookmaking: a machine he calls a printing press. Fust is financing Gutenberg's workshop, and he orders Peter to become Gutenberg's apprentice. Resentful at having to abandon a prestigious career as a scribe, Peter begins his education in the "darkest art."
As his skill grows, so too does his admiration for Gutenberg and his dedication to their daring venture: printing copies of the Holy Bible. But when outside forces align against them, Peter finds himself torn between two father figures—the generous Fust and the brilliant, mercurial Gutenberg, who inspires Peter to achieve his own mastery.
Caught between the genius and the merchant, the old ways and the new, Peter and the men he admires must work together to prevail against overwhelming obstacles in a battle that will change history . . . and irrevocably transform them all.
Entrepreneur and journalist Shane Snow (Wired, Fast Company, The New Yorker, and cofounder of Contently)discusses his new Harper Business title, Smartcuts, with @HarperAudio_US Producer Erin Wicks. This episode also includes an excerpt from the audio edition performed by the author.
ABOUT SMARTCUTS
Entrepreneur and journalist Shane Snow (Wired, Fast Company, The New Yorker, and cofounder of Contently) analyzes the lives of people and companies that do incredible things in implausibly short time.
How do some startups go from zero to billions in mere months? How did Alexander the Great, YouTube tycoon Michelle Phan, and Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon climb to the top in less time than it takes most of us to get a promotion? What do high-growth businesses, world-class heart surgeons, and underdog marketers do in common to beat the norm?
One way or another, they do it like computer hackers. They employ what psychologists call "lateral thinking: to rethink convention and break "rules" that aren't rules.
These are not shortcuts, which produce often dubious short-term gains, but ethical "smartcuts" that eliminate unnecessary effort and yield sustainable momentum. In Smartcuts, Snow shatters common wisdom about success, revealing how conventions like "paying dues" prevent progress, why kids shouldn't learn times tables, and how, paradoxically, it's easier to build a huge business than a small one.
From SpaceX to The Cuban Revolution, from Ferrari to Skrillex, Smartcuts is a narrative adventure that busts old myths about success and shows how innovators and icons do the incredible by working smarter—and how perhaps the rest of us can, too.
New York Times bestselling author Karen Abbott discusses her new novel Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy (on-sale: 9-2-14)with @HarperAudio_US Producer Erin Wicks. This episode also includes an excerpt from the audio edition performed by Karen White.
About Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy
Belle Boyd Emma Edmonds Rose O'Neal Greenhow Elizabeth Van Lew
In Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy, bestselling author Karen Abbott tells the spellbinding true story of four women who risked everything—their homes, their families, and their very lives—during the Civil War.
Seventeen-year-old Belle Boyd, an avowed rebel with a dangerous temper, shot a Union soldier in her home and became a courier and spy for the Confederate army, using her considerable charms to seduce men on both sides. Emma Edmonds disguised herself as a man to enlist as a Union private named Frank Thompson, witnessing the bloodiest battles of the war and infiltrating enemy lines, all the while fearing that her past would catch up with her. The beautiful widow Rose O'Neal Greenhow engaged in affairs with powerful Northern politicians, used her young daughter to send information to Southern generals, and sailed abroad to lobby for the Confederacy, a journey that cost her more than she ever imagined. Elizabeth Van Lew, a wealthy Richmond abolitionist, hid behind her proper Southern manners as she orchestrated a far-reaching espionage ring—even placing a former slave inside the Confederate White House—right under the noses of increasingly suspicious rebel detectives.
Abbott's pulse-quickening narrative weaves the adventures of these four forgotten daredevils into the tumultuous landscape of a broken America, evoking a secret world that will surprise even the most avid enthusiasts of Civil War–era history. With a cast of real-life characters, including Nathaniel Hawthorne, General Stonewall Jackson, Detective Allan Pinkerton, Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln, and Emperor Napoléon III, Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy shines a dramatic new light on these daring—and, until now, unsung—heroines.
Katy Simpson Smith discusses her debut novel THE STORY OF LAND AND SEA (on-sale: 8-26-14) with @HarperAudio_US Producer Erin Wicks. This episode also includes an excerpt from the audio edition performed by Edoardo Ballerini.
ABOUT THE STORY OF LAND AND SEA
Set in a small coastal town in North Carolina during the waning years of the American Revolution, this incandescent debut novel follows three generations of family—fathers and daughters, mother and son, master and slave, characters who yearn for redemption amidst a heady brew of war, kidnapping, slavery, and love.
Drawn to the ocean, ten-year-old Tabitha wanders the marshes of her small coastal village and listens to her father’s stories about his pirate voyages and the mother she never knew. Since the loss of his wife Helen, John has remained land-bound for their daughter, but when Tab contracts yellow fever, he turns to the sea once more. Desperate to save his daughter, he takes her aboard a sloop bound for Bermuda, hoping the salt air will heal her.
Years before, Helen herself was raised by a widowed father. Asa, the devout owner of a small plantation, gives his daughter a young slave named Moll for her tenth birthday. Left largely on their own, Helen and Moll develop a close but uneasy companionship. Helen gradually takes over the running of the plantation as the girls grow up, but when she meets John, the pirate turned Continental soldier, she flouts convention and her father’s wishes by falling in love. Moll, meanwhile, is forced into marriage with a stranger. Her only solace is her son, Davy, whom she will protect with a passion that defies the bounds of slavery.
In this elegant, evocative, and haunting debut, Katy Simpson Smith captures the singular love between parent and child, the devastation of love lost, and the lonely paths we travel in the name of renewal.
Jessie Burton discusses her new book THE MINIATURIST (HarperCollins, August 26, 2014) with Producer Erin Wicks from @HarperAudio_US. The episode also includes an excerpt from the audio edition featuring the voice of Davina Porter.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Set in seventeenth century Amsterdam—a city ruled by glittering wealth and oppressive religion—a masterful debut steeped in atmosphere and shimmering with mystery, in the tradition of Emma Donoghue, Sarah Waters, and Sarah Dunant.
”There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed . . .“
On a brisk autumn day in 1686, eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman arrives in Amsterdam to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her new home, while splendorous, is not welcoming. Johannes is kind yet distant, always locked in his study or at his warehouse office—leaving Nella alone with his sister, the sharp-tongued and forbidding Marin.
But Nella’s world changes when Johannes presents her with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. To furnish her gift, Nella engages the services of a miniaturist—an elusive and enigmatic artist whose tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts in eerie and unexpected ways . . .
Johannes’ gift helps Nella to pierce the closed world of the Brandt household. But as she uncovers its unusual secrets, she begins to understand—and fear—the escalating dangers that await them all. In this repressively pious society where gold is worshipped second only to God, to be different is a threat to the moral fabric of society, and not even a man as rich as Johannes is safe. Only one person seems to see the fate that awaits them. Is the miniaturist the key to their salvation . . . or the architect of their destruction?
Enchanting, beautiful, and exquisitely suspenseful, The Miniaturist is a magnificent story of love and obsession, betrayal and retribution, appearance and truth.
Wally Lamb in conversation with Sean McManus, Director of Audio @HarperAudio_US. The paperback edition of Lamb's New York Times bestselling novel WE ARE WATER is on-sale from HarperCollins on August 12, 2014. This episode contains an excerpt from the audio edition of WE ARE WATER, performed by the author.
ABOUT WE ARE WATER
After twenty-seven years of marriage and three children, Annie Oh—wife, mother, and outsider artist—has fallen in love with Viveca, the Manhattan art dealer who orchestrated her professional success. Annie and Viveca plan to wed in the Oh family's hometown of Three Rivers, Connecticut, where gay marriage has recently been legalized. But the impending wedding provokes some very mixed reactions and opens a Pandora's box of toxic secrets—dark and painful truths that have festered below the surface of the Ohs' lives.
We Are Water is an intricate and layered portrait of marriage, family, and the inexorable need for understanding and connection. Set in New England and New York during the first years of the Obama presidency, it is also a portrait of modern America, exploring issues of class, changing social mores, the legacy of racial violence, and the nature of creativity and art.
1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth discusses her new book FOUR: A DIVERGENT COLLECTION (HarperCollins, July 8th, 2014) with senior producer Caitlin Garing from @HarperAudio_US. The episode also includes an excerpt from the audio edition of FOUR: A DIVERGENT COLLECTION featuring the voice of Aaron Stanford.
Fans of the Divergent series by number-one New York Times best-selling author Veronica Roth will be thrilled by Four: A Divergent Collection, a companion volume that includes four pre-Divergent stories told from Tobias' point of view.
Listeners first encountered Tobias as "Four" in Divergent. His voice is an integral part of Allegiant. Listeners will find more of this charismatic character's backstory told from his own perspective in Four: A Divergent Collection. When taken together, these long narrative pieces illuminate the defining moments in Tobias' life. The first three pieces in this volume - "The Transfer", "The Initiate", and "The Son" - follow Tobias's transfer from Abnegation to Dauntless, his Dauntless initiation, and the first clues that a foul plan is brewing in the leadership of two factions. The fourth story, "The Traitor", runs parallel with the events of Divergent, giving listeners a glimpse into the decisions of loyalty - and love - that Tobias makes in the weeks after he meets Tris Prior.
Exclusive scenes included!
Erika Johansen discusses her new book THE QUEEN OF THE TEARLING (HarperCollins, July 8, 2014) with Producer Erin Wicks from @HarperAudio_US. The episode also includes an excerpt from the audio edition featuring the voice of Katherine Kellgren.
ABOUT THE BOOK
An untested young princess must claim her throne, learn to become a queen, and combat a malevolent sorceress in an epic battle between light and darkness in this spectacular debut—the first novel in a trilogy.
Young Kelsea Raleigh was raised in hiding after the death of her mother, Queen Elyssa, far from the intrigues of the royal Keep and in the care of two devoted servants who pledged their lives to protect her. Growing up in a cottage deep in the woods, Kelsea knows little of her kingdom's haunted past . . . or that its fate will soon rest in her hands.
Long ago, Kelsea's forefathers sailed away from a decaying world to establish a new land free of modern technology. Three hundred years later, this feudal society has divided into three fearful nations who pay duties to a fourth: the powerful Mortmesne, ruled by the cunning Red Queen. Now, on Kelsea's nineteenth birthday, the tattered remnants of the Queen's Guard—loyal soldiers who protect the throne—have appeared to escort the princess on a perilous journey to the capital to ascend to her rightful place as the new Queen of the Tearling.
Though born of royal blood and in possession of the Tear sapphire, a jewel of immense power and magic, Kelsea has never felt more uncertain of her ability to rule. But the shocking evil she discovers in the heart of her realm will precipitate an act of immense daring, throwing the entire kingdom into turmoil—and unleashing the Red Queen's vengeance. A cabal of enemies with an array of deadly weapons, from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic, plots to destroy her. But Kelsea is growing in strength and stealth, her steely resolve earning her loyal allies, including the Queen's Guard, led by the enigmatic Lazarus, and the intriguing outlaw known simply as "the Fetch."
Kelsea's quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun. Riddled with mysteries, betrayals, and treacherous battles, Kelsea's journey is a trial by fire that will either forge a legend . . . or destroy her.
Neil Gaiman discusses three upcoming @HarperAudio_US titles: THE TRUTH IS A CAVE IN THE BLACK MOUNTAINS (on-sale: June 17, 2014), CHU'S FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL (on-sale: June 24, 2014), and the full cast audio edition of THE GRAVEYARD BOOK (on-sale: September 30, 2014) with Senior Producer Caitlin Garing. This episode also includes audiobook excerpts performed by Neil Gaiman.
About The Books
THE TRUTH IS A CAVE IN THE BLACK MOUNTAINS
You ask me if I can forgive myself? I can forgive myself...
And so begins The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains, a haunting story of family, the otherworld, and a search for hidden treasure. This audiobook is brought to vivid life by the characters and landscape of Gaiman’s award-winning story. In this volume, the talents and vision of two great creative geniuses come together in a glorious explosion of color and shadow, memory and regret, vengeance and, ultimately, love.
...for many things. For where I left him. For what I did.
Buy Link: http://www.harpercollins.com/9780062362247/the-truth-is-a-cave-in-the-black-mountains-cd
CHU'S FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
It is Chu's first day of school. Chu is nervous.
He hopes the other boys and girls will be nice. Will they like him?
What will happen at school today?
Will Chu do what Chu does best?
Buy Link: http://www.harpercollins.com/9780062355539/chus-first-day-of-school
THE GRAVEYARD BOOK (Full Cast Production)
Nobody Owens is a normal boy, except he lives in a sprawling graveyard and has been raised since infancy by ghosts and a guardian who belongs to neither the world of the living nor the dead. There are adventures in a graveyard for a boy—an ancient Indigo Man, a gateway to the abandoned city of ghouls, and the strange and terrible Sleer. There are dangers though too, and if Bod leaves the graveyard, he may fall prey to the man Jack, who has already murdered Bod’s entire family.
Inventive, chilling, and magical, Neil Gaiman’s Newbery winning and bestselling Graveyard Book is an a classic in the making.
This special audiobook features a stunning full cast rendition of the beloved story.
Buy Link: http://www.harpercollins.com/9780062364463/the-graveyard-book-cd
Smith Henderson discusses his new book FOURTH OF JULY CREEK (HarperCollins, May 27, 2014) with producer Erin Wicks from @HarperAudio_US. The episode also includes an excerpt featuring the voice of MacLeod Andrews from the audio edition.
ABOUT THE BOOK
After trying to help Benjamin Pearl, an undernourished, nearly feral eleven-year-old boy living in the Montana wilderness, social worker Pete Snow comes face-to-face with the boy's profoundly disturbed father, Jeremiah. With courage and caution, Pete slowly earns a measure of trust from this paranoid survivalist itching for a final conflict that will signal the coming End Times.
But as Pete's own family spins out of control, Pearl's activities spark the full-blown interest of the FBI, putting Pete at the center of a massive manhunt from which no one will emerge unscathed.
In this shattering and iconic American novel, Smith Henderson explores the complexities of freedom, community, grace, suspicion, and anarchy, brilliantly depicting our nation's disquieting and violent contradictions. Fourth of July Creek is an unforgettable, unflinching debut that marks the arrival of a major literary talent.
Blake J. Harris discusses his new book CONSOLE WARS(HarperCollins, May 2014) with Sean McManus from @HarperAudio_US. This episode also includes an excerpt from the audio edition, performed by Fred Berman.
ABOUT THE BOOK
A mesmerizing, behind-the-scenes business thriller that chronicles how Sega, a small, scrappy gaming company led by an unlikely visionary and a team of rebels, took on the juggernaut Nintendo and revolutionized the videogame industry—in development as a feature film from Sony Pictures
In 1990, Nintendo had a virtual monopoly on the videogame industry. Sega, on the other hand, was just a faltering arcade company with big aspirations and even bigger personalities. But all that would change with the arrival of Tom Kalinske, a former Mattel executive who knew nothing about videogames and everything about fighting uphill battles. His unconventional tactics, combined with the blood, sweat, and bold ideas of his renegade employees, completely transformed Sega and led to a ruthless, David-and-Goliath showdown with Nintendo. Little did he realize that Sega's success would create many new enemies and, most important, make Nintendo stronger than ever.
The battle was vicious, relentless, and highly profitable, eventually sparking a global corporate war that would be fought on several fronts: from living rooms and school yards to boardrooms and Congress. It was a once-in-a-lifetime, no-holds-barred conflict that pitted brother against brother, kid against adult, Sonic against Mario, and the United States against Japan.
Based on more than two hundred interviews with former Sega and Nintendo employees, Console Wars is the tale of how Tom Kalinske miraculously turned an industry punch line into a market leader. Blake J. Harris brings into focus the warriors, the strategies, and the battles and explores how they transformed popular culture forever. Ultimately, Console Wars is the story of how a humble family man, with an extraordinary imagination and a gift for turning problems into competitive advantages, inspired a team of underdogs to slay a giant and, as a result, give birth to a sixty-billion-dollar industry.
Josh Malerman discusses his new book BIRD BOX(HarperCollins, May 2014) with Erin Wicks, Producer @HarperAudio_US. This episode also includes an excerpt from the audio edition, performed by Cassandra Campbell.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Something is out there . . .
Something terrifying that must not be seen. One glimpse and a person is driven to deadly violence. No one knows what it is or where it came from.
Five years after it began, a handful of scattered survivors remain, including Malorie and her two young children. Living in an abandoned house near the river, Malorie has long dreamed of fleeing to a place where her family might be safe. But the journey ahead will be terrifying: twenty miles downriver in a rowboat—blindfolded—with nothing to rely on but Malorie's wits and the children's trained ears. One wrong choice and they will die. And something is following them. But is it man, animal, or monster?
Engulfed in darkness, surrounded by sounds both familiar and frightening, Malorie embarks on a harrowing odyssey—a trip that takes her into an unseen world and back into the past, to the companions who once saved her. Under the guidance of the stalwart Tom, a motley group of strangers banded together against the unseen terror, creating order from the chaos. But when supplies ran low, they were forced to venture outside—and confront the ultimate question: in a world gone mad, who can really be trusted?
Interweaving past and present, Josh Maler-man's breathtaking debut is a horrific and gripping snapshot of a world unraveled that will have you racing to the final page.
This episode is a round table discussion featuring three rising stars in the new adult genre: CORA CARMACK, J. LYNN, and JAY CROWNOVER in conversation with @HarperAudio_US Producer, Caitlin Garing.
Laline Paull discusses her new book THE BEES (HarperCollins, May 2014) with Erin Wicks, Producer @HarperAudio_US.
Flora 717 is a sanitation worker, a member of the lowest caste in her orchard hive, where work and sacrifice are the highest virtues and worship of the beloved Queen the only religion. But Flora is not like other bees. With circumstances threatening the hive's survival, her curiosity is regarded as a dangerous flaw, but her courage and strength are assets. She is allowed to feed the newborns in the royal nursery and then to become a forager, flying alone and free to collect nectar and pollen. A feat of bravery grants her access to the Queen's inner sanctum, where she discovers mysteries about the hive that are both profound and ominous.
But when Flora breaks the most sacred law of all–daring to challenge the Queen's preeminence–enemies abound, from the fearsome fertility police who enforce the hive's strict social hierarchy to the high priestesses jealously wedded to power. Her deepest instincts to serve and sacrifice are now overshadowed by a greater power: a fierce maternal love that will bring her into conflict with her conscience, her heart, and her society–and lead her to perform unthinkable deeds.
Thrilling, suspenseful, and spectacularly imaginative, The Bees and its dazzling young heroine will forever change the way you look at the world outside your window.
Francine Prose discusses her new book LOVERS AT THE CHAMELEON CLUB, PARIS 1932 (HarperCollins, April 2014) with Erin Wicks, Producer @HarperAudio_US.
A richly imagined and stunningly inventive literary masterpiece of love, art, and betrayal, exploring the genesis of evil, the unforeseen consequences of love, and the ultimate unreliability of storytelling itself
Paris in the 1920s. It is a city of intoxicating ambition, passion, art, and discontent, where louche jazz venues like the Chameleon Club draw expats, artists, libertines, and parvenus looking to indulge their true selves. It is at the Chameleon where the striking Lou Villars, an extraordinary athlete and scandalous cross-dressing lesbian, finds refuge among the club's loyal denizens, including the rising photographer Gabor Tsenyi, the socialite and art patron Baroness Lily de Rossignol, and the caustic American writer Lionel Maine.
As the years pass, their fortunes—and the world itself—evolve. Lou falls in love and finds success as a race car driver. Gabor builds his reputation with vivid and imaginative photographs, including a haunting portrait of Lou and her lover, which will resonate through all their lives. As the exuberant twenties give way to darker times, Lou experiences another metamorphosis that will warp her earnest desire for love and approval into something far more sinister: collaboration with the Nazis.
Told in a kaleidoscope of voices, Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932 evokes this incandescent city with brio, humor, and intimacy. A brilliant work of fiction and a mesmerizing read, it is Francine Prose's finest novel yet.
Tabatha Coffey, author of OWN IT! (HarperCollins, April 2014), shares her secrets of business success in her trademark no-nonsense style. The interview is conducted by Karen Dziekonski, Executive Producer @HarperAudio_US.
Tabatha is back to share her secrets of business success . . .
With her characteristic savvy expertise and no-nonsense advice, the perfectly coiffed celebrity hairstylist, Tabatha Coffey, returns with her second book, teaching readers that the secret of success is taking charge—of your priorities, your future, and your life. Fans of her hit show, Tabatha Takes Over, value Tabatha's sound approach to overhauling failing businesses, and now, in Own It!, she takes to the page to reach out to anyone with a dream: whether you're just beginning, revamping your career, or starting your own enterprise.
Sharing her blunt but rock-solid wisdom, Tabatha provides tips for every aspect of business—from entrepreneurship, to customer service, to management—as well as on the home front, to help women seeking to balance their family lives with their careers. Filled with stories about real people who have faced challenging transitions, in addition to anecdotes from Tabatha's own experiences, this book reveals, through her unflinching honesty, Tabatha's commitment to the dreams and goals of her readers, and her never-say-never attitude when it comes to bringing them to life.
Success is the result when you Own It! in all aspects of your life, and Tabatha breaks it down step-by-step as your straight-shooting personal coach to show you how it's done.
Paul Stanley discusses the writing and narration of his memoir, FACE THE MUSIC (on-sale 4-8-14). This episode also includes an excerpt from the prologue.
"People say I was brave to write such a revealing book, but I wrote it because I needed to personally reflect on my own life. I know everyone will see themselves somewhere in this book, and where my story might take them is why I'm sharing it."
Well known for his onstage persona, the "Starchild," Paul Stanley has written a memoir with a gripping blend of personal revelations and gritty war stories about the highs and lows both inside and outside of KISS. Born with a condition called microtia (an ear deformity rendering him deaf on the right side), Stanley's traumatic childhood experiences produced an inner drive to succeed in the most unlikely of places: music. Taking readers through the series of events that led to the founding of KISS, the personal relationships that helped shape his life, and the turbulent dynamics among his bandmates over the past forty years, this book leaves no one unscathed—including Stanley himself.
With never-before-seen photos and images throughout, Face the Music is a colorful portrait of a man and the band he helped create, define, and sustain—made larger than life in artfully told stories that are shocking, funny, inspirational, and honest.
An interview with David McCullough Jr., author of You Are Not Special (HarperCollins, April 2014). The interview is conducted by Karen Dziekonski, Executive Producer @HarperAudio_US.
A profound expansion of David McCullough, Jr.'s popular commencement speech—a call to arms against a prevailing, narrow, conception of success viewed by millions on YouTube—You Are (Not) Special is a love letter to students and parents as well as a guide to a truly fulfilling, happy life.
Children today, says David McCullough—high school English teacher, father of four, and son and namesake of the famous historian—are being encouraged to sacrifice passionate engagement with life for specious notions of success. The intense pressure to excel discourages kids from taking chances, failing, and learning empathy and self-confidence from those failures.
In You Are (Not) Special, McCullough elaborates on his now-famous speech exploring how, for what purpose, and for whose sake, we're raising our kids. With wry, affectionate humor, McCullough takes on hovering parents, ineffectual schools, professional college prep, electronic distractions, club sports, and generally the manifestations, and the applications and consequences of privilege. By acknowledging that the world is indifferent to them, McCullough takes pressure off of students to be extraordinary achievers and instead exhorts them to roll up their sleeves and do something useful with their advantages.
Willy Vlautin is an author, a musician, and the narrator of his book THE FREE. This interview with Willy is conducted by his editor at HarperCollins, Amy Baker.
Listen to an excerpt from the audiobook @HarperAudio_US
In his heartbreaking yet hopeful fourth novel, award-winning author Willy Vlautin demonstrates his extraordinary talent for illuminating the disquiet of modern American life, captured in the experiences of three memorable characters looking for meaning in distressing times.
Severely wounded in the Iraq war, Leroy Kervin has lived in a group home for eight years. Frustrated by the simplest daily routines, he finds his existence has become unbearable. An act of desperation helps him disappear deep into his mind, into a world of romance and science fiction, danger and adventure where he is whole once again.
Freddie McCall, the night man at Leroy's group home, works two jobs yet still can't make ends meet. He's lost his wife and kids, and the house is next. Medical bills have buried him in debt, a situation that propels him to consider a lucrative—and dangerous—proposition.
Pauline Hawkins, a nurse, cares for the sick and wounded, including Leroy. She also looks after her mentally ill elderly father. Yet she remains emotionally removed, until she meets a young runaway who touches something deep and unexpected inside her.
In crystalline prose, both beautiful and devastating, this "major realist talent" (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) considers the issues transforming ordinary people's lives—the cost of health care, the lack of economic opportunity, the devastating scars of war—creating an extraordinary contemporary portrait that is also a testament to the resiliency of the human heart.
An interview with Jennifer Senior, author of All Joy and No Fun (HarperCollins, January 2014). The interview is conducted by Karen Dziekonski, Executive Producer @HarperAudio_US.
Thousands of books have examined the effects of parents on their children. But almost none have thought to ask: What are the effects of children on their parents?
In All Joy and No Fun, award-winning journalist Jennifer Senior tries to tackle this question, isolating and analyzing the many ways in which children reshape their parents' lives, whether it's their marriages, their jobs, their habits, their hobbies, their friendships, or their internal senses of self. She argues that changes in the last half century have radically altered the roles of today's mothers and fathers, making their mandates at once more complex and far less clear. Recruiting from a wide variety of sources—in history, sociology, economics, psychology, philosophy, and anthropology—she dissects both the timeless strains of parenting and the ones that are brand new, and then brings her research to life in the homes of ordinary parents around the country. The result is an unforgettable series of family portraits, starting with parents of young children and progressing to parents of teens. Through lively and accessible storytelling, Senior follows these mothers and fathers as they wrestle with some of parenthood's deepest vexations—and luxuriate in some of its fi nest rewards.
Meticulously researched yet imbued with emotional intelligence, All Joy and No Fun makes us reconsider some of our culture's most basic beliefs about parenthood, all while illuminating the profound ways children deepen and add purpose to our lives. By focusing on parenthood, rather than parenting, the book is original and essential reading for mothers and fathers of today—and tomorrow.
An interview with Brian Payton, author of The Wind Is Not a River (HarperCollins, January 2014). The interview is conducted by Erin Wicks, producer Soundcloud.com/HarperAudio_US.
A gripping tale of survival and an epic love story in which a husband and wife–separated by the only battle of World War II to take place on American soil–fight to reunite in Alaska's starkly beautiful Aleutian Islands
Following the death of his younger brother in Europe, journalist John Easley is determined to find meaning in his loss, to document some part of the growing war that claimed his own flesh and blood. Leaving behind his beloved wife, Helen, after an argument they both regret, he heads north from Seattle to investigate the Japanese invasion of Alaska's Aleutian Islands, a story censored by the U.S. government.
While John is accompanying a crew on a bombing run, his plane is shot down over the island of Attu. He survives only to find himself exposed to a harsh and unforgiving wilderness, known as "the Birthplace of Winds." There, John must battle the elements, starvation, and his own remorse while evading discovery by the Japanese.
Alone in their home three thousand miles to the south, Helen struggles with the burden of her husband's disappearance. Caught in extraordinary circumstances, in this new world of the missing, she is forced to reimagine who she is–and what she is capable of doing. Somehow, she must find John and bring him home, a quest that takes her into the farthest reaches of the war, beyond the safety of everything she knows.
A powerful, richly atmospheric story of life and death, commitment and sacrifice, The Wind Is Not a River illuminates the fragility of life and the fierce power of love.