MAR
Now Read This
A BOOK CLUB FROM PBS NEWSHOUR AND THE NEW YORK TIMES
Join us each month as we choose a book, discuss it here and take your questions for the author.
Chapter
39
‘Nomadland’ by Jessica Bruder
Jessica Bruder’s "Nomadland," chronicles the growing community of transient older Americans who have taken to the road in search of seasonal work. The nomads Bruder followed were usually workers who did not completely recover from the 2008 Recession. Without enough saved for Social Security, and unable to pay off their mortgages, they moved their lives into RVs and trailers, congregating in camps stretching from North Dakota to California to Texas.
How the 2008 economic crisis created a ‘new wandering tribe’ of seasonal workers
The latest selection for our “Now Read This” book club, Jessica Bruder’s “Nomadland,” documents a growing phenomenon in the country — a "wandering tribe" of seasonal workers. It has inspired a new movie of the same name. The film was the big winner at the British Academy Film Awards, and has multiple Oscar nominations. Jeffrey Brown has the latest for our ongoing arts and culture series, CANVAS.
WATCH: Author Jessica Bruder takes your questions about ‘Nomadland’
Bruder, a journalist, spent three years speaking to folks on the road to write the book, and lived briefly as a nomad herself. She joined PBS NewsHour’s Jeffrey Brown on Thursday to answer your questions about her reporting.
WATCH LIVE: Author Jessica Bruder takes your questions about ‘Nomadlan
Author Jessica Bruder will join PBS NewsHour’s Jeffrey Brown on Thursday, April 15 at 7:00 p.m. ET, to answer your questions about her book, "Nomadland,"
Discussion questions for ‘Nomadland’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month.
‘Nomadland’ is our March book club pick
The March and April selection for Now Read This is Jessica Bruder's “Nomadland,” which chronicles the growing community of transient older Americans who have taken to the road in search of seasonal work.
‘Nomadland’ author Jessica Bruder’s best piece of writing advice didn’t come from a writer
Journalist Jessica Bruder says she’s seen a lot of great writers’ advice over the years, but one trick that she particularly likes “wasn’t devised for writers.”
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‘Interior Chinatown’ by Charles Yu
This satirical novel centers around Willis Wu, an Asian actor who is typecast to fill Hollywood stereotypes in television such as “Generic Asian Man” or “Background Oriental Making a Weird Face.” He has a small part on a cop show called “Black and White,” but dreams of one day playing “Kung Fu Guy,” which he sees as the “pinnacle” role he could be offered.
Discussion questions for ‘Interior Chinatown’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month.
‘Interior Chinatown’ is our February book club pick
Our February 2021 pick for Now Read This, the PBS NewsHour’s book club with The New York Times, is Charles Yu’s “Interior Chinatown,” which won the 2020 National Book Award for fiction.
For author Charles Yu, ‘non-writing time can also be productive’
Yu discusses how the 2016 election made him reconsider the framing of the American dream — and thus served as the inspiration for “Interior Chinatown” — plus some valuable advice his wife gave him while he was writing the book.
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37
‘Trick Mirror’ by Jia Tolentino
“Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion,” is a collection of nine essays examining American life under late capitalism by Jia Tolentino. Her cultural criticism draws heavily on the internet and the myriad ways it shapes our lives.
Author Jia Tolentino on American culture through the prism of the internet
The January pick for our “Now Read This” book club was a book of essays exploring many aspects of American culture through the prism of the internet and social media. At age 32, author Jia Tolentino has gained acclaim as one of its most astute observers. She’s a also a staff writer for The New Yorker and “Trick Mirror” is her first book. Jeffrey Brown spoke to Tolentino to learn more.
Discussion questions for ‘Trick Mirror’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month
‘Trick Mirror’ is our January book club pick
Our January book club pick for Now Read This, the PBS NewsHour’s book club with The New York Times, is Jia Tolentino’s "Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion."
The advice that freed Jia Tolentino from ‘the worst traps in both life and writing’
“That day freed me from one of the worst traps in both life and writing, where you talk or think about something for so long that you neglect your freedom to just go out and give it a try,” Tolentino said. Read more from Tolentino on how she spent time in solitude while working on “Trick Mirror,” as well as which works form her personal literary canon.
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‘Severance’ by Ling Ma
“Severance” follows Candace Chen, a millennial with a corporate job in book publishing who finds herself among the last survivors of a devastating virus in a largely empty New York City.
Author Ling Ma answers your questions about ‘Severance’
The author of our December pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club answered questions submitted by readers about her novel.
3 films that inspired Ling Ma’s ‘Severance’
When writing "Severance," author Ling Ma drew inspiration from various sources, including several films.
How ‘The Walking Dead’ and a Terrence Malick film inspired this writer’s first book
"I thought I could somehow bridge the two," Ling Ma recently told the PBS NewsHour of her novel "Severance." "What if Terrence Malick directed a zombie B movie and this was the voiceover? Would that be in bad taste?"
Discussion questions for ‘Severance’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month.
‘Severance’ is our December book club pick
Our December book club pick for Now Read This, the PBS NewsHour’s book club with The New York Times, is Ling Ma’s “Severance,” a satirical novel that takes place during a global pandemic.
How the final days of an office job inspired this apocalyptic novel
“In the beginning, the writing routine sprang from the rhythms and trappings of the office, even as fewer employees showed up and it became deserted,” Ma recently told the PBS NewsHour. After her office closed, she continued writing as she lived off unemployment benefits, one freelance assignment and her own severance package. Ma shares more on her writing routine and sources of inspiration.
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35
‘The Poet X’ by Elizabeth Acevedo
The verse novel chronicles 15-year-old Xiomara Batista’s struggle to adapt to the physical and emotional changes that come with adolescence, and how she finds an outlet in slam poetry.
Author Elizabeth Acevedo on writing a coming-of-age novel
Our November pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club, "Now Read This," is "The Poet X" by Elizabeth Acevedo. She spoke to Jeffrey Brown about finding her voice through poetry and why she wrote a novel in verse.
In writing her first novel, this poet turned to her high school journal
“I wanted to make sure that emotionally, tonally, and in terms of the language of experience of the character that I didn’t stray from the heart of the story in trying to impress readers with my verse,” she wrote. You’ll find more insight on “In Translation” in Acevedo’s annotations.
Discussion questions for ‘The Poet X’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month.
‘The Poet X’ is our November book club pick
Our November book club pick for Now Read This, the PBS NewsHour’s book club with The New York Times, is Elizabeth Acevedo’s “The Poet X”.
How poetry helped Elizabeth Acevedo know when to stop writing
Acevedo said the practice of “reaching closure in poems” helped her realize when “The Poet X” was finished, as she “could sense when the project had said all I needed to say.” Hear more from Acevedo , including on her routine and favorite childhood books.
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34
‘Helping Children Succeed’ by Paul Tough
In “Helping Children Succeed,” Tough delves into how teachers and caregivers can foster environments where children develop these character traits, and looks at examples of how schools across the United States are working to do so.
How the pandemic could cause significant ‘learning loss’ for students
The coronavirus pandemic has upended American life. What are its consequences for the education realm, which is already characterized by major inequalities? Tough joins Jeffrey Brown to discuss troubling trends in K-12 and higher education.
5 researchers who can help us understand how children succeed
When Paul Tough first began reporting on the skills that help children succeed both in and out of the classroom, he drew upon an already robust body of research on the subject.
The study that helped this reporter understand student success
What should teachers do to help their students succeed? That was a central question that journalist Paul Tough was trying to answer when he came across an innovative study in 2013.
Discussion questions for ‘Helping Children Succeed’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month.
‘Helping Children Succeed’ is our October book club pick
Our October pick for Now Read This, the PBS NewsHour’s book club with The New York Times, is Paul Tough’s “Helping Children Succeed”, which looks at the unique challenges that children dealing with adversity face when they enter the classroom, and how teachers and policymakers can work to improve these students’ chances at success.
How this reporter learned to love nosy questions
When Paul Tough was first starting out as a self-described “young and uptight” reporter, he found it “distressingly hard to ask people questions that struck me as potentially awkward or personal.” Tough shares Ira Glass’ advice and some favorite reads.
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33
‘Beaten Down, Worked Up’ by Steven Greenhouse
“Beaten Down, Worked Up,” which traces the history of the labor movement in the United States, and considers the factors that led to a significant decline in worker bargaining power in recent decades.
Author Steven Greenhouse answers your questions about ‘Beaten Down, Worked Up’
Steven Greenhouse, author of our September pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club, Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer reader questions about “Beaten Down, Worked Up.”
How one historic labor strike embodies the fight for dignity
Hear from Greenhouse about his reporting, as well as King’s lesson that “all labor that uplifts humanity has dignity,” in an annotated excerpt from the book.
Why this labor reporter is always ‘writing for the reader’
“I try to keep whatever I write interesting and informative throughout, and hopefully at times it’s even captivating and entertaining,” Greenhouse said. More on his writing routine and sources of inspiration.
Discussion questions for 'Beaten Down, Worked Up'
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. Greenhouse will answer reader questions about “Beaten Down, Worked Up” on the PBS NewsHour at the end of the month.
'Beaten Down, Worked Up' is our September book club pick
Steven Greenhouse’s “Beaten Down, Worked Up” traces the history of the labor movement in the United States, and considers the factors that led to a significant decline in worker bargaining power in recent decades.
7 books that dive into the long history of America’s labor movement
Steven Greenhouse, author of “Beaten Down, Worked Up,” recommends these books for a sweeping history of labor in the U.S., as well as stories of specific campaigns and leaders.
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‘Beijing Payback’ by Daniel Nieh
A fast-paced thriller about a young man whose discovery upon his father’s death of his involvement in a vast crime syndicate leads the protagonist on a journey to tie up loose ends with his father’s former associates back in China.
How living in China showed me what the U.S. looks like to other people
"There is a feeling unavailable to people who were born in the United States: None of us can know what it’s like to come from a country that’s not the richest and most powerful country in the world," writes "Beijing Payback" author Daniel Nieh.
Author Daniel Nieh answers your questions about ‘Beijing Payback’
Daniel Nieh, author of our August pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club, Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer reader questions about “Beijing Payback.”
Why this novel about a Beijing crime syndicate starts in a California suburb
Nieh told the PBS NewsHour that San Gabriel Valley — which is home to one of the largest Chinese communities in the United States — and more specifically San Dimas, was “an irresistible choice” for the setting of Victor’s sheltered childhood.
Discussion questions for ‘Beijing Payback’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month.
‘Beijing Payback’ is our August book club pick
Our August book club pick for Now Read This is Daniel Nieh’s “Beijing Payback”
How this writer and translator tapped into the ‘language of sports’ for his thriller
As a Chinese-English language translator, writer Daniel Nieh is well accustomed to thinking in two different languages and straddling the customs and cultures of both East and West. While living in Beijing in 2009, he was inspired to write a page from the perspective of a Chinese-American football player who also spoke a different kind of language.
Chapter
31
‘Citizen: An American Lyric’ by Claudia Rankine
Our July book club pick for Now Read This, the PBS NewsHour’s book club with The New York Times, is poet Claudia Rankine’s “Citizen: An American Lyric.” It’s a collection of essays, images and poetry that consider how individual and collective expressions of racism add up and play out in our contemporary society.
Author Claudia Rankine answers your questions about ‘Citizen’
Claudia Rankine, author of our July pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club, Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer reader questions about “Citizen: An American Lyric.”
How this poet shows the way ‘racism hits the body’
In her book “Citizen,” the poet Claudia Rankine aims to show readers how Black people experience racism in their everyday lives. And to help tell that story, she reached out to visual artists.
Discussion questions for ‘Citizen’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month
‘Citizen’ is our July book club pick
Our July book club pick for Now Read This is Claudia Rankine's "Citizen: An American Lyric"
How a natural disaster prompted this poet to focus on race in America
Rankine writes about police brutality, as well as many of the other forms of racism that Black Americans encounter in their everyday lives. She told the NewsHour she was prompted to consider these themes in her work after Hurricane Katrina devastated Black communities in 2005.
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‘American Spy’ by Lauren Wilkinson
Set in 1986, the novel follows Marie Mitchell, a young black officer with the FBI who joins a task force aimed at undermining Thomas Sankara, the then-president of Burkina Faso. When she finds herself involved in a plot to overthrow Sankara, she begins to reconsider what it means to be a good American and a spy.
Why the author of 'American Spy' recommends this 1920s novel about a secret identity
Wilkinson talks about other sources of inspiration, and how she came to write “American Spy” as her debut novel.
Discussion questions for 'American Spy'
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month.
‘American Spy’ is our June book club pick
Our June book club pick is a thrilling story about an intelligence officer who navigates love, family and duty in the years leading up to the end of the Cold War.
For her spy novel, Lauren Wilkinson knew she needed an exciting first chapter
Lauren Wilkinson’s “American Spy” is a contemporary take on a classic spy novel, but it originally started as a graduate school assignment: She was prompted to write a short story about the suburbs, and chose Connecticut as the setting.
Chapter
29
‘The Street’ by Ann Petry
The Street is a novel published in 1946 by African-American writer Ann Petry. Set in World War II era Harlem, it centers on the life of Lutie Johnson. Petry's novel is a commentary on the social injustices that confronted her character, Lutie Johnson, as a single black mother in this time period.
5 book covers that show how Ann Petry’s ‘The Street’ was depicted over time
Ann Petry’s “The Street” was the first novel by a black woman to sell more than a million copies. But over the years, not all of its covers conveyed the complex themes of race and class.
Tayari Jones answers your questions about ‘The Street’
Author Tayari Jones wrote the introduction to a new edition of Ann Petry's 1946 novel "The Street," our May pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club, Now Read This. Jones joins Jeffrey Brown to answer reader questions about the "The Street," and Jeff announces the June book selection.
Why a 1946 novel resonates with today’s working-class struggles
In Ann Petry’s 1946 novel “The Street,” which chronicles an African American woman’s pursuit of the American dream, the main character’s predicament is not unlike that of many workers today.
Discussion questions for ‘The Street’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. You can also submit your own questions for Tayari Jones, author of an “American Marriage,” on our Google form. Jones will answer reader questions about the enduring relevance of “The Street” which was originally published in 1946, on the PBS NewsHour at the end of the month.
‘The Street’ is our May book club pick
“The Street” by Ann Petry is the May pick for Now Read This, the PBS NewsHour's book club with The New York Times.
How Tayari Jones discovered an ‘undersung American masterpiece’
Jones, who is the author of “An American Marriage” and several other novels, writes with a typewriter and keeps a couple of pens filled at her desk most of the time. She shares more on her writing routine, as well as the books she’s drawn inspiration from over the years, below.
Chapter
28
‘Disappearing Earth’ by Julia Phillips
Set on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula, a region where social and ethnic tensions have long shaped the lives of the residents there, Phillips’ novel follows a cast of characters who are connected by the crime. The mysterious disappearance of the Golosovsky sisters one summer day ignites an onslaught of media attention that lays bare the broader tensions, particularly for women who feel their struggles have not been given equal notice.
‘Disappearing Earth’ author Julia Phillips answers your questions
Julia Phillips, author of our April pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club, Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer reader questions on “Disappearing Earth,” and Jeff announces the May book selection.
These photos helped Julia Phillips capture ‘one of the most beautiful places in the world’
More than a decade ago now, I started to dream of writing a book set in Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. That region, 4,200 miles east of Moscow, is one of the most beautiful places in the world. It hangs off the edge of the country into the Bering Strait. It’s packed with volcanoes, geysers and natural wonders – I couldn’t wait to go.
Why ‘Disappearing Earth’ begins with a tale of natural disaster
“The whole book rests on this story one sister tells another about a town that vanished, swept away by a giant wave,” Phillips wrote. “That’s our chunk of disappearing earth.”
Discussion questions for ‘Disappearing Earth’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month.
‘Disappearing Earth’ is our April book club pick
Our April book club pick for Now Read This, the PBS NewsHour’s book club with The New York Times, is Julia Phillips’ “Disappearing Earth,” a novel about a community’s reckoning with the sudden disappearance of two young girls.
Why a writer traveled to a far-off Russian peninsula for her debut novel
Phillips shares her writing routine, sources of inspiration, and the process of writing “Disappearing Earth”
Chapter
27
‘Inheritance’ by Dani Shapiro
After submitting her DNA for analysis to an ancestry website in 2016, Dani Shapiro received a piece of news that rocked her to the core: The man who had raised her, her now-deceased father, was not her biological kin.
‘Inheritance’ author Dani Shapiro answers your questions
Dani Shapiro, author of our March pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club, Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer reader questions on "Inheritance," and Jeff announces the April book selection.
Dani Shapiro on how a DNA test ‘flooded every corner’ with truth -- and shaped her writing
Years after her dad died, Dani Shapiro found out he was not her biological father. But she had long sought to better understand him through her writing before that moment.
Discussion questions for 'Inheritance'
Our March 2020 pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club is Dani Shapiro’s “Inheritance.”
‘Inheritance’ is our March book club pick
Our March book club pick for Now Read This, the PBS NewsHour’s book club with The New York Times, is Dani Shapiro’s “Inheritance”
How a surprising DNA test inspired this writer’s memoir
Our March pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club “Now Read This” is Dani Shapiro’s “Inheritance.” Become a member of the book club by joining our Facebook group, or by signing up to our newsletter. Learn more about the book club here. For Dani Shapiro, finding out that the father who had raised her was not, in fact, her biological dad “was such an impossible thing to learn, in midlife.” The unexpected results
Chapter
26
‘American Prison’ by Shane Bauer
“American Prison” draws from Bauer’s own experience working undercover as an entry-level prison guard at Louisiana’s Winn Correctional Center while on assignment as a senior reporter for Mother Jones. His book weaves together his own stories of working with Winn corrections officers and prisoners, along with the history of for-profit incarceration in the U.S.
5 ways prisoners were used for profit throughout U.S. history
"American Prison" author Shane Bauer highlights a few key moments in the history of prison-as-profit in America, drawing from research he conducted for the book.
Author Shane Bauer on being both prisoner and prison guard
“Power struggles in prison are sometimes overtly violent, but mostly they are psychological and subtle,” he said.
Discussion questions for 'American Prison'
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month.
‘American Prison’ is our February book club pick
“American Prison” draws from Bauer’s own experience working undercover as a prison guard at Louisiana's Winnfield Correctional Center while on assignment as a senior reporter for Mother Jones.
Why the author of ‘American Prison’ embraces people’s contradictions
“It will make your writing much better in the end,” says Shane Bauer.
Chapter
25
‘Heart Berries’ by Terese Marie Mailhot
Terese Marie Mailhot’s memoir traces her family’s history on the Seabird Island Indian Reservation in British Columbia, Canada. Her collected essays address the trauma experienced by indigenous people across generations, as well as the author’s own struggles with mental illness.
‘Heart Berries’ author Terese Marie Mailhot answers your questions
Terese Marie Mailhot, author of our January pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club, Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer reader questions on “Heart Berries,” and Jeff announces the February book selection.
These photos helped the author of 'Heart Berries' mine her memory
“Photographs informed parts of the book my memory could not retrieve,” said Terese Marie Mailhot.
How Terese Marie Mailhot came to terms with her father’s life and death
The stories I wrote about him always had murky endings, where you could tell the protagonist had unfinished business with him, and that she had been hurt,” said the author of "Heart Berries."
Discussion questions for ‘Heart Berries’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month.
‘Heart Berries’ is our January book club pick
We’re excited to announce our first book club pick for the new year: Terese Marie Mailhot’s “Heart Berries.”
How Terese Marie Mailhot stopped writing what other people wanted
"I found myself writing the book professors wanted me to write," said author Mailhot, before she decided to strip her "fiction for the truth." Leaving expectations behind, she wrote a memoir, "Heart Berries," because, she said, you have to deal with your history "or it will consume you."
Chapter
24
‘Circe’ by Madeline Miller
The novel that reimagines the story of Circe, a lesser-known and yet much-reviled goddess and witch from the Greek epic poem "The Odyssey."
How artists have depicted Circe’s power through time
Here's a small sampling of the goddess' rich visual history, from ancient Greece to contemporary America.
‘Circe’ author Madeline Miller answers your questions
Madeline Miller, author of our December pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club, Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer reader questions on “Circe,” and Jeff announces the January book selection.
In 'Circe,' this witch is more artist than immortal
Author Madeline Miller reimagined a reviled minor goddess from the "Odyssey" into a powerful figure who finds herself through hard work and dedication.
In ‘Circe,’ this witch is more artist than immortal
Author Madeline Miller reimagined a reviled minor goddess from the "Odyssey" into a powerful figure who finds herself through hard work and dedication.
Discussion questions for ‘Circe’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. She will answer reader questions on the PBS NewsHour broadcast at the end of the month.
‘Circe’ is our December book club pick
We’re excited to announce our December pick for “Now Read This,” our book club in partnership with The New York Times. It’s Madeline Miller’s “Circe,” a novel that reimagines the story of a lesser-known and yet much-reviled goddess and witch from the Greek epic poem “The Odyssey.”
For Madeline Miller, writing is 'like descending to the bottom of the ocean'
Before she was the author of the best-selling novel "Circe," Miller believed that she had to write around the clock. Now, she says, “Discipline is important, but so is taking a breath and looking around."
Chapter
23
‘The Overstory’ by Richard Powers
In a review of the book in The New York Times Book Review, author Barbara Kingsolver writes that "The Overstory" is "a delightfully choreographed, ultimately breathtaking hoodwink" that seems to be a book about people but is actually about trees -- and reimagining how we relate to them.
Loved ‘The Overstory’? Richard Powers recommends 26 other books on trees
Powers shares his bibliography for “The Overstory” – 26 books that contain a wide range of information about trees, from how the American Chestnut disappeared to histories of radical forest activism.
How ‘America’s perfect tree’ was nearly wiped out
Powers annotates the beginning of the first chapter of “The Overstory,” whose first line, about chestnuts, is adapted from the journal of Henry David Thoreau.
Discussion questions for 'The Overstory'
"The Overstory" is our November book club for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, "Now Read This"
'The Overstory' is our November book club pick
"The Overstory" is a novel about trees, activism and our relationship to the natural world.
Why Richard Powers schedules his writing around what nature is doing
Powers shares how nature has changed how he writes and lives, the importance of being present and paying attention, and what the book “Harold and the Purple Crayon” means to him.
Chapter
22
‘We the Corporations’ by Adam Winkler
Winkler, a professor of law at University of California, Los Angeles, argues that the question of constitutional rights for corporations began long before the controversial Citizens United decision. (In 2010, the Supreme Court ruled the government could not keep corporations or unions from spending money to influence elections.)
5 advocates and crusaders who helped define corporate rights
Long before there were calls to break up Silicon Valley’s biggest companies, long before the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision in 2010, corporations had gained significant rights and powerful influence in the United States. “We the Corporations” author Adam Winkler shares five people who battled for and against those rights.
How one corporation exploited the amendment that was meant to protect former slaves
Corporations have often leveraged progressive reforms to serve the ends of business, says author Adam Winkler. "Perhaps more surprising is that corporations have also been innovators in constitutional law."
Discussion questions for ‘We the Corporations’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. You can also submit your own questions for Adam Winkler on our Google form here. Winkler will answer reader questions on the NewsHour broadcast at the end of the month.
‘We the Corporations’ is our October book club pick
Author Adam Winkler argues that the issue of constitutional rights for corporations began long before Citizens United.
Why author Adam Winkler doesn't wait for inspiration to start writing
"I sit down at the computer every weekday morning and begin to write, even if I feel blocked or don’t have much to say," says Winkler, author of "We the Corporations."
Chapter
21
‘Conversations with Friends’ by Sally Rooney
“Conversation with Friends,” which is set in Dublin, is a novel told through the eyes of 21-year-old Frances, a student of big ideas and intellectual convictions — until several relationships spin out of her control. It’s a novel about belonging and growing up, about bad decisions and human nature, and about how the world doesn’t always fit into the archetypes we’ve seen or read.
Conversations with Friends’ author Sally Rooney answers your questions
Sally Rooney, author of our September pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club, Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer reader questions on “Conversations with Friends,” and Jeff announces the October book selection.
Why Sally Rooney forces herself to slow down as she writes
“I find that when I force myself to slow the pace down a little, I can discover sensory and psychological details I missed or elided in the first draft,” says Rooney, author of "Conversations with Friends."
Discussion questions for ‘Conversations with Friends’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month.
‘Conversations with Friends’ by Sally Rooney is our September book club pick
We’re excited to announce our September pick for “Now Read This”. It’s one of the most talked-about debut novels in recent years: “Conversations With Friends,” by the young Irish writer Sally Rooney.
Why writer Sally Rooney stopped tying up loose ends in ‘Conversations With Friends’
"Once I identified that impulse, and reasoned myself out of it, I wrote the final scene as it is now – and I felt the novel was finished," Rooney said.
Chapter
20
‘The Woman Warrior’ by Maxine Hong Kingston
The memoir, which blends autobiography and folktale, dips back and forth in time between the past of Kingston’s ancestors in pre-Mao China, to her growing up Chinese-American in modern-day California, to the fantasy of an imagined life as a female avenger. As cultural critic John Leonard wrote in the New York Times’ 1976 review, the result is a book that is “fierce intelligence, all sinew, prowling among the emotions.”
Celeste Ng and Maxine Hong Kingston answer your questions about ‘The Woman Warrior’
Celeste Ng, author of “Little Fires Everywhere,” and Maxine Hong Kingston, author of "The Woman Warrior," join Jeffrey Brown to answer reader questions.
Why this description of the Chinese-American experience resonates with Celeste Ng
Author Celeste Ng takes us behind the scenes of the book "The Woman Warrior."
Discussion questions for ‘The Woman Warrior’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. Author Celeste Ng, who chose August’s book, will appear on the PBS NewsHour broadcast at the end of the month to take your questions about “The Woman Warrior” and talk about what the book means to her.
Our August book club pick: ‘The Woman Warrior,’ by Maxine Hong Kingston
Author Celeste Ng chose a classic to re-read for our August book club pick: Maxine Hong Kingston's 1976 memoir, "The Woman Warrior."
How reading ‘The Woman Warrior’ put Celeste Ng’s feelings into words
"It was so close to my experience, it was almost painful" says the best-selling author.
Chapter
19
‘The House of Broken Angels’ by Luis Alberto Urrea
It’s the story of what happens when one Mexican American family living on the border comes together for a party — and a funeral. It’s a tender, joyous and intimate novel. And it’s especially timely as questions are being raised about how immigrant families are being treated in the U.S.
‘The House of Broken Angels’ author Luis Alberto Urrea answers your questions
Luis Alberto Urrea, author of our July pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club, Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer reader questions on “The House of Broken Angels,” and Jeff announces the August book selection.
In ‘The House of Broken Angels,’ every character has their own song
Luis Alberto Urrea told us that music was key to the writing of “The House of Broken Angels” — so we asked him if he could share a mixtape to accompany the book. He did, choosing a song to match every main character. He calls it: “The Satanic Hispanic Party Mix-Tape.” You can listen and read why Urrea chose each song here.
Discussion questions for ‘The House of Broken Angels’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. You can also submit your own questions. Urrea will answer reader questions on the NewsHour broadcast at the end of the month.
‘The House of Broken Angels’ is our July book club pick
In the coming days, we’ll post discussion questions for “The House of Broken Angels,” an annotated excerpt from the book, and writing advice from Urrea. At the end of the month, he will answer your questions on the PBS NewsHour.
‘Read, read, read to stoke the furnace,’ and more writing advice from Luis Alberto Urrea
Listen to a playlist made by author Luis Alberto Urrea, who says music was key to the writing of his novel.
Chapter
18
‘The Fifth Season’ by N.K. Jemisin
In “The Fifth Season,” the planet is menaced by environmental catastrophe, and its inhabitants struggle to survive. Jemisin’s fantasy novel follows the narratives of three “orogenes,” individuals who can draw power from the earth to subdue its violence. “The Fifth Season,” the first book in her “Broken Earth” trilogy, won the 2016 Hugo Award, science fiction’s highest honor.
‘The Fifth Season’ author N. K. Jemisin answers your questions
N. K. Jemisin joins Liz Flock to answer reader questions on “The Fifth Season,” and Liz announces the July book selection.
Sometimes readers need to be traumatized, author N.K. Jemisin says
Read what Jemisin was thinking as she wrote “The Fifth Season.”
Discussion questions for ‘The Fifth Season’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. You can also submit your own questions for Jemisin on our Google form here. Jemisin will answer reader questions on the NewsHour broadcast at the end of the month.
‘The Fifth Season’ is June’s pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club
We’re excited to announce that N.K. Jemisin’s “The Fifth Season” is the June pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, “Now Read This.”
How the protests in Ferguson helped inspire this fantasy novel
Jemisin shares her daily writing routine (she doesn’t get up til 10, but her daily word count is high), her best writing advice (persist, and then persist some more), and how “The Fifth Season” came together (some of it happened at NASA).
Chapter
17
‘An Odyssey’ by Daniel Mendelsohn
“An Odyssey: A Father, A Son, And An Epic” is the story of what happened after Mendelsohn’s 81-year-old father, Jay, enrolled in his college course on Homer’s “Odyssey.” While the book is family memoir, it is also part literary criticism, as Mendelsohn’s narrative tells us much about — and even reflects — the Greek epic poem itself.
‘An Odyssey’ author Daniel Mendelsohn answers your questions
Daniel Mendelsohn, author of our May pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer reader questions about “An Odyssey.” Plus, Jeff announces the June book selection.
How Homer’s ‘Odyssey’ is relevant today
Read an annotated page of “An Odyssey,” read more about what Mendelsohn was thinking as he wrote the book, and why Homer’s “Odyssey” remains relevant today.
Discussion questions on ‘An Odyssey’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month.
‘An Odyssey’ is May’s pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club
In the coming days, we’ll post discussion questions for “An Odyssey,” an annotated excerpt from the book, and writing advice from Mendelsohn. And at the end of the month, he will answer your questions on the PBS NewsHour.
‘Don’t write—just type,’ and more advice from author Daniel Mendelsohn
Read writing advice from Mendelsohn, author of “An Odyssey.” He shares the books he thinks deserve more attention, his daily writing routine, and more.
Chapter
16
‘Brotopia’ by Emily Chang
“Brotopia” is an exposé of the dark, misogynistic side of Silicon Valley, and how that’s seeped in to the everyday tech we use. Chang, a journalist and the host of Bloomberg Technology, employs history, interview, data and anecdote to tell the story.
‘Brotopia’ author Emily Chang answers your questions
Emily Chang, author of our April pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer reader questions about “Brotopia.” Plus, Jeff announces the May book selection.
5 books about Silicon Valley you need to read right now
Chang recommends five books you need to read to understand Silicon Valley right now, from the memoir of a tech icon’s daughter to an exposé of corporate fraud.
What it’s like to be a young girl in the male-dominated field of tech
See Chang’s annotations of a page of “Brotopia” in which she meets a group of teenage girl coders, who discuss what it’s like to be a girl in tech, and what they want to do when they grow up.
Discussion questions for ‘Brotopia’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. You can also submit your own questions for Chang on our Google form here. Chang will answer reader questions on the NewsHour broadcast at the end of the month.
‘Brotopia’ is April’s pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club
We’re excited to announce that Emily Chang’s “Brotopia: Breaking Up The Boys’ Club Of Silicon Valley” is our April pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, “Now Read This.”
Emily Chang’s advice for writers: It’s good not to know all the answers
Chang, a Bloomberg TV correspondent who covers technology, shares the moment that lit the fire in her to write “Brotopia,” the best advice she received while writing the book, and the children’s books that inspire her.
Chapter
15
‘The Power’ by Naomi Alderman
In “The Power,” Alderman imagines a future in which women have special (electrostatic) powers that flip the established gender dynamics and turn the world on its head.
‘The Power’ author Naomi Alderman answers your questions
Naomi Alderman, author of our March pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer reader questions about “The Power.” Plus, Jeff announces the April book selection.
The question everybody has about the novel ‘The Power’
Alderman addresses the burning question that many of our book club members have had, and that many readers have asked her: What’s the deal with the voice?
‘Shame takes our bodies away from us’: Read an annotated page from ‘The Power’
“Shame takes our bodies away from us. I can’t say it more clearly than that,” she explains. Read more of what Alderman was thinking in her annotation of that scene here.
Discussion questions for ‘The Power’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. You can also submit your own questions. Alderman will answer reader questions on the NewsHour broadcast at the end of the month.
The March pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club is ‘The Power’
We’re excited to announce that Naomi Alderman’s “The Power” is our March pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, “Now Read This.” It’s a genre we haven’t tackled yet: science fiction.
‘Get used to saying no,’ and more advice from writer Naomi Alderman
Alderman, who is both a novelist and game writer, shares where the book began (maybe at her bat mitzvah), her writing routine (but don’t expect it to last), and the best writer’s advice she’s ever received (it’s all about saying no). In her words:
Chapter
14
‘The Wife’ by Meg Wolitzer
“The Wife” is a darkly funny, intelligent tale of what happens when you decide to stop sacrificing your own talents in service of your spouse’s success. Glenn Close, who plays the title character in last summer’s film adaptation, is up for an Academy Award for her performance.
‘The Wife’ author Meg Wolitzer answers your questions
Meg Wolitzer, author of our February pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club, Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer reader questions about “The Wife.”
An annotated page from Meg Wolitzer’s ‘The Wife’
Author Meg Wolitzer explains where she gets her settings and stories, why she set the book in the first person (from Joan’s perspective), and how she creates humor on the page.
Discussion questions for ‘The Wife’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. You can also submit your own questions for Wolitzer on our Facebook page, some of which she will answer on the NewsHour broadcast at the end of the month.
February’s pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club is ‘The Wife’
We’re excited to announce that “The Wife” by Meg Wolitzer is the February pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club.
Author Meg Wolitzer’s best advice: Write what’s important to you
Read writing advice from Wolitzer, about her daily writing routine, and the one book she thinks everyone should read.
Chapter
13
‘Heart’ by Sandeep Jauhar
“Heart: A History” is an exploration of our most vital organ and favored metaphor. Jauhar, a cardiologist, surveys the heart from all angles — the public and personal history, as inspiration for poets and scientists, what it means for doctor and patient alike.
‘Heart’ author Sandeep Jauhar answers your questions
Sandeep Jauhar joins Jeffrey Brown to answer reader questions on “Heart.” Plus, Jeff announces the February book selection.
WATCH: Author Sandeep Jauhar explains what happens in a coronary angiogram
Jauhar walks through an angiogram procedure, done on a real-life patient at his hospital, to explain to readers how it works, what it looks like, and how it can save a life.
An annotated page from ‘Heart’
Jauhar explores more deeply the actions of C. Walton Lillehei, an American surgeon considered the father of open heart surgery and one the most innovative surgeons of the 20th century.
Discussion questions for ‘Heart’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. You can also submit your own questions for Jauhar on our Facebook page, which he will answer on the NewsHour broadcast at the end of the month.
January’s pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club is ‘Heart’
We’re excited to announce that “Heart” by Sandeep Jauhar is the January pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club.
‘Don’t be such a writer,’ and more advice from author Sandeep Jauhar
Read writing advice from the author, including the counterintuitive but useful guidance: “Don’t be such a writer!”
Chapter
12
‘There Will Be No Miracles Here’ by Casey Gerald
“There Will Be No Miracles Here” is part memoir and part meditation, tracing Gerald’s journey from his childhood in a poor neighborhood in Dallas all the way to Yale and the halls of power. It also questions what that power means in America today, how it is attained and who it hurts. The New York Times named it a best book of 2018.
20 songs for reading ‘There Will Be No Miracles Here’
Gerald shares a playlist of songs to accompany you while reading his memoir.
‘There Will Be No Miracles Here’ author Casey Gerald answers your questions
Casey Gerald joins Jeffrey Brown to answer reader questions on “There Will Be No Miracles Here,” and Jeff announces the January book selection.
An annotated page from ‘There Will Be No Miracles Here’
Gerald annotates the first page of the book, which opens at the end of the world (or the supposed end of the world), and in which we are introduced to his unique writing style, often questioning and irreverent.
Discussion questions for ‘There Will Be No Miracles Here’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. You can also submit your own questions for Gerald on our Facebook page, which he will answer on the NewsHour broadcast at the end of the month.
December’s pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club is ‘There Will Be No Miracles Here’
We’re excited to announce that “There Will Be No Miracles Here” by Casey Gerald is the December pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, “Now Read This.”
Writing has ‘got to be weird before it gets good,’ says Casey Gerald
Gerald shares his writing routine (he writes by hand), his favorite childhood book (“The Boxcar Children”) and the best writing advice he’s received.
Chapter
11
‘A Separation’ by Katie Kitamura
“A Separation” is a psychological thriller about a woman who learns that her estranged husband has gone missing in Greece, and tries to find him. It explores intimacy and infidelity, power and control. It was named a best book of the 2017 by The New York Times, NPR, Huffington Post, the San Francisco Chronicle, The Guardian, and many more.
‘A Separation’ author Katie Kitamura answers your questions
Katie Kitamura, author of our November pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer reader questions on “A Separation,” plus Jeff announces December’s book.
3 psychological thrillers to watch after reading ‘A Separation’
Kitamura recommends a list of three psychological thriller films to watch alongside her novel — movies that follow the missing and murdered, and also walk the line between the real and the imagined.
Katie Kitamura annotates a page from her book ‘A Separation’
In the pages Kitamura annotates, she explains how her fascinations with masculinity and privacy in a marriage became major themes in the book, as well as the significance behind certain references.
Discussion questions for ‘A Separation’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. You can also submit your own questions for Kitamura on our Facebook page, which she will answer on the NewsHour broadcast at the end of the month.
The November pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club is ‘A Separation’
We’re excited to announce that “A Separation” by Katie Kitamura is the November pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club.
‘Reading is part of my job,’ and more writing advice from author Katie Kitamura
Kitamura shares her writing routine (much different now that she’s a mother), her favorite childhood book (it’s actually a series) and the best writing advice she’s received.
Chapter
10
‘American Wolf’ by Nate Blakeslee
“American Wolf” tells the tale of O-Six, a Yellowstone alpha female who was known as the “most famous wolf in the world“. As author and environmental activist Rick Bass writes in The New York Times Book Review, it also tells the story of the people who love and hate the wolves (which were reintroduced to the Rockies in recent decades), and the complex politics of the West surrounding them.
‘American Wolf’ author Nate Blakeslee answers your questions
Nate Blakeslee, author of our October pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer questions from readers, plus Jeff announces November’s book.
PHOTOS: Meet the wolves and humans who inspired ‘American Wolf’
See photos of the wolves, their human wolf watchers and some of the settings from the book, with insights from author Nate Blakeslee.
An annotated page from ‘American Wolf’
Blakeslee explains more about how he reported the book, why he lingered on certain moments, and the decision to describe the wolves with both human-like and very canine qualities.
Listen to the opening of ‘American Wolf’
Haven’t yet received the book? Here’s an audio clip to get you started, narrated by Mark Bramhall, from the first few pages of Chapter 1. The passage describes O-Six and her pack hunting an elk, which is common prey for the wolves, and also one of the reasons hunters feel threatened by the wolves’ presence.
Discussion questions for ‘American Wolf
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. You can also submit your own questions for Nate Blakeslee on our Facebook page, which he will answer on the NewsHour broadcast at the end of the month
The October pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club is ‘American Wolf’
We’re excited to announce that “American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West” by Nate Blakeslee is the October pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, “Now Read This.”
‘Why not write the biography of a wolf?’ and more advice from author Nate Blakeslee
Read about Blakeslee’s daily writing routine (erratic, he says), the best writing advice he’s ever received (it was more of a threat than advice), and how the seeds of the book “American Wolf” were planted.
Chapter
9
‘Earning the Rockies’ by Robert D. Kaplan
“Earning the Rockies: How Geography Shapes America’s Role in the World” is a mix of road trip, memoir, history and political analysis by Robert D. Kaplan, a geopolitical thinker and bestselling author of 17 books on foreign affairs and travel.
‘Earning the Rockies’ author Robert Kaplan answers your questions
Robert Kaplan, author of our September pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer questions from readers, plus Jeff announces October’s book.
5 forgotten books about geography and place to read now
Robert Kaplan said he knew the mixing of genres in “Earning the Rockies” ran the risk of alienating some readers. Parts of the book read like a travelogue, while others delve into foreign policy and geopolitics. But that was intentional.
An annotated page from Robert Kaplan’s ‘Earning the Rockies’
To really earn the sight of the Rockies and comprehend what those mountains mean, Robert Kaplan writes that you have to drive for days across the prairie and the Great Plains. Flying there in an hour or two won’t cut it.
Discussion questions for ‘Earning the Rockies’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. You can also submit your own questions for Robert Kaplan on our Facebook page, which he will answer on the NewsHour broadcast at the end of the month.
The September pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club is ‘Earning the Rockies’
We’re excited to announce that “Earning the Rockies” by Robert D. Kaplan is our September pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, “Now Read This.”
Write ‘what is absolutely true in your eyes,’ says best-selling author Robert Kaplan
In his three-decade career, best-selling author and analyst Robert Kaplan has reported from nearly every region of the world and authored 18 books on foreign affairs and travel.
Chapter
8
‘What it Means When a Man Falls From the Sky’ by Lesley Nneka Arimah
“What it Means When a Man Falls From the Sky” is a debut short story collection from Nneka Arimah that ranges from realism to folk tale to sci-fi, telling tales of family and home. It won the 2017 Kirkus Prize and New York Public Library’s Young Lions Fiction Award.
Author Lesley Nneka Arimah answers your questions
Jeffrey Brown speaks with Lesley Nneka Arimah, author of “What It Means When A Man Falls From The Sky,”
An annotated page from ‘What It Means When A Man Falls From The Sky’
Nneka Arimah annotates a page of “Glory,” explaining where she got the opening scene, how she sees Glory, and the challenge of writing unlikeable characters.
Discussion questions for “What It Means When A Man Falls From The Sky”
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. You can also submit your own questions for Nneka Arimah on our Facebook page, which she will answer on the NewsHour broadcast at the end of the month.
The August pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club is…
We’re excited to announce that “What it Means When a Man Falls From the Sky” by Lesley Nneka Arimah is our August pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, “Now Read This.”
‘If the short story is a sprint, the novel is a marathon,’ and more writing advice from Lesley Nneka Arimah
Nneka Arimah says the collection is the product of years of published stories, decades of voracious reading and a long “brewing” process for each story until it finally comes to a boil. She shares her writing routine, the best writing advice she’s ever received, and the overlooked books she thinks are important to read now.
Chapter
7
‘Pachinko’ by Min Jin Lee
"Pachinko" is an epic family saga and historical novel about ethnic Koreans who migrate to Japan. It was a National Book Award finalist for fiction, and the New York Times named it one of the 10 best books of the year.
‘Pachinko’ author Min Jin Lee answers your questions
Min Jin Lee, author of our July pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer questions from readers, plus Jeff announces August’s book.
Min Jin Lee’s easy family recipe for Stuffed Cucumber Kimchi (Oi-Soh-Bahgi)
Earlier this month, PBS NewsHour visited Lee and her mother in their home in Harlem in New York City to learn how to make their family recipe for stuffed cucumber kimchi, or “oi-soh-bahgi.”
Min Jin Lee annotates the first page of her bestselling book ‘Pachinko’
Lee annotates the first page of “Pachinko.” In her annotations, she explains why she chose that as the book’s opening line, how she finds her ideas, and what she was thinking as she wrote.
Discussion questions for “Pachinko”
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. You can also submit your own questions for Min Jin Lee on our Facebook page, which she will answer on the NewsHour broadcast at the end of the month.
The July pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club is ‘Pachinko’
We’re excited to announce that “Pachinko” by Min Jin Lee is our July pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, “Now Read This.”
‘Choose the important over the urgent,’ and more writing advice from Min Jin Lee
Min Jin Lee shares her daily writing routine, the best writer’s advice she’s ever received, and the overlooked books she thinks are important to read now. In her words:
Chapter
6
‘Less’ by Andrew Sean Greer
'Less' is a laugh-out-loud comedic novel about a failed writer named Arthur Less — referred to throughout the book only as “Less” — who sets out on a round-the-world trip to avoid attending his ex-boyfriend’s wedding.
‘Less’ author Andrew Sean Greer answers your questions
Andrew Sean Greer, author of our June pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer questions from readers, plus Jeff announces July’s book.
Try these 3 writing exercises from Pulitzer Prize-winning ‘Less’
For the Now Read This book club, Greer replicated three of those exercises, on “omission,” “order” and “beginnings.”
Andrew Sean Greer annotates a page of his novel ‘Less’
Greer annotates a page of “Less” that hinges on the narrator’s identity (spoiler alert) and the book’s central heartbreak. In his annotations, Greer also talks about how he established the novel’s unique voice and humor, and why he sometimes tries to disorient the reader.
Discussion questions for ‘Less’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. They go in chronological order of the book’s chapters, so you can match the questions to your pace as you read. Spoiler alert for some of the latter questions below.
The June pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club is ‘Less’
We’re excited to announce that “Less” by Andrew Sean Greer is our June pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, “Now Read This.”
Writing is an ‘every-single-day kind of job,’ says author Andrew Sean Greer
Greer shares advice on how he writes (daily), what he reads (poetry, among lots of other things), and how he gets out of a writer’s funk (it can take awhile).
Chapter
5
‘Educated’ by Tara Westover
'Educated' is a memoir of growing up in remote Idaho in a survivalist family who did not believe in formalized education, and how Westover ultimately made her way to Harvard and Cambridge.
Listen to ‘Educated’ author Tara Westover sing ‘Come, Come, Ye Saints’
During the NewsHour interview, Westover sang a Mormon hymn from her childhood: “Come, Come Ye Saints.” Mormon poet William Clayton wrote the poem in 1846 after learning that one of his wives had given birth to a healthy baby boy. Watch and listen to Westover sing the hymn
‘Educated’ author Tara Westover answers your questions
Tara Westover, author of our May pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer questions from readers, plus Jeff announces June’s book.
Tara Westover annotates the first page of her memoir, ‘Educated’
Westover annotates the first page of “Educated” to show readers how she chose her language and imagery, and explain the themes and ideas she wanted to set up from page one.
In education, you can choose to remake yourself — or be made by others
Because Tara Westover had never been allowed to go to school, the only history she had learned was the history her father taught her. "His perspective was my perspective," she says, and his fears became her fears. But when she discovered education -- different from school -- she began to construct her own mind from a diversity of ideas. Westover shares her humble opinion on remaking yourself.
Discussion questions for ‘Educated’
Here are questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month. The questions are broken into three parts, to match the three parts of the book. (Spoiler alert on questions further down, which mention specific scenes in the book.)
The May pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club is ‘Educated’
"Educated," a memoir by Tara Westover of growing up in a survivalist family in remote Idaho, is our May pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, “Now Read This.”
‘Inspiration is a myth’ and more writer’s advice from author Tara Westover
Since Westover’s memoir “Educated” was released in February, it has topped bestseller lists and been one of the most talked about books of the year. Below, Westover shares advice for how she writes, what she reads, and the best piece of writer’s advice she’s ever received. “Inspiration is a myth,” she says.
Chapter
4
‘The Death and Life of the Great Lakes’ by Dan Egan
Dan Egan's 'The Death and Life of the Great Lakes,' an epic and wonderfully told story of history, science and reportage, tells the story of the largest source of freshwater in the world, and the threats to America's waterways.
‘Great Lakes’ author Dan Egan answers your questions
We’re never going to get complete control of the Great Lakes, says Dan Egan, who recommends greater humility for what nature can do to restore itself.
Journalist Dan Egan annotates a page of ‘The Death and Life of the Great Lakes’
The quagga mussel is a small but dangerous invasive species in Lake Michigan. Dan Egan explains why in an annotated page of his book "The Death and Life of the Great Lakes."
Discussion questions for ‘The Death and Life of the Great Lakes’
Dan Egan's 'The Death and Life of the Great Lakes' — an epic portrait of the Great Lakes and the perils they face — is our next pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, "Now Read This."
The April pick for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times Book club is ‘The Death and Life of the Great Lakes’
We unveil our April selection for the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, "Now Read This."
How journalist Dan Egan wrote the life (and death) story of the Great Lakes
Dan Egan likes to say that he may be the only journalist in America whose beat is the Great Lakes.
Chapter
3
‘Exit West’ by Mohsin Hamid
Mohsin Hamid’s novel "Exit West," which blends the real and surreal, follows two people on the move from a country on the brink of civil war.
‘Exit West’ author Mohsin Hamid answers your questions
Mohsin Hamid says he has been migrating his whole life, his own experience playing a part of the inspiration for his newest novel. Hamid, author of our March pick for the NewsHour-New York Times book club Now Read This, joins Jeffrey Brown to answer questions from readers, plus, Jeff announces April's book.
Mohsin Hamid annotates the first page of his novel, ‘Exit West’
Mohsin Hamid's novel "Exit West," which follows two lovers on the move from a country on the brink of civil war, is our March pick for the new PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, "Now Read This."
Magical novel ‘Exit West’ explores what makes refugees leave home
In 'Exit West,' a city in the Muslim world is plunged into violence and two lovers join the mass migration of our time. Mohsin Hamid's story about refugees is a novel, not journalism, but it combines the surreal with the very real. Hamid sits down with Jeffrey Brown to discuss what inspired him and why he says he’s seeing a "failure of imagination" around the world.
Discussion questions for ‘Exit West’
Mohsin Hamid's novel "Exit West," which follows two lovers on the move from a country on the brink of civil war, is our March pick for the new PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club, "Now Read This."
To be a better writer, read your words aloud, says Mohsin Hamid
'Exit West' author Mohsin Hamid shares his daily writing routine, favorite books and the best bit of writer's advice he's ever received.
Chapter
2
‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ by David Grann
The true crime tale, set in the 1920s, is about the mysterious murders of wealthy members of the Osage Indian nation after oil was discovered on their land. It was nominated for this year's National Book Award for nonfiction.
‘Killers of the Flower Moon’ author David Grann answers your questions
As part of the NewsHour and New York Times book club, Now Read This, author David Grann answers your questions about "Killers of the Flower Moon,"" his true crime book on the 20th century Osage murders. And Jeffrey Brown announces the March pick, a book that takes a surreal look at modern migration.
The forgotten murders of the Osage people for the oil beneath their land
Author David Grann shares powerful images from one of the FBI’s first major homicide investigations, which he details in his book, “Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI."
Discussion questions for ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’
Questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month.
New York Times Book Review: Solving a Reign of Terror Against Native Americans
Author Dave Eggers reviews the book in the New York Times Book Review.
How to write a true crime tale, according to bestseller David Grann
Grann shares how he found this story, and how he writes — from his daily routine, to the book he thinks everyone should read, to the best piece of writer’s advice he ever received.
Chapter
1
‘Sing, Unburied, Sing’ by Jesmyn Ward
The novel, set in contemporary Mississippi, is about family, ghosts, and the legacies of violence and love. It won this year's National Book Award for fiction.
Inside Mississippi’s notorious Parchman prison
Mississippi State Prison in Parchman, Mississippi, has a long history as a penitentiary. And it features as a haunted setting in Jesmyn Ward’s National Award-winning 2017 novel “Sing, Unburied, Sing.”
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‘Persist. Read, write, and improve.’ Jesmyn Ward shares the best writing advice she’s ever received
Ward shares the best writer’s advice she’s ever received, her daily writing routine, and more.
What is the PBS NewsHour-New York Times book club?
Your guide to Now Read This.
Discussion questions for ‘Sing, Unburied, Sing’
Questions to help guide your discussions as you read the book over the next month.
Ask your questions for Jesmyn Ward
At the end of the month, Ward will take your questions on the PBS NewsHour program. Submit your questions for her.
New York Times Book Review: In ‘Sing, Unburied, Sing,’ a Haunted Road Trip to Prison
U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith reviews 'Sing, Unburied, Sing.'
Jesmyn Ward’s ‘Sing, Unburied, Sing’ is a ghost story about the real struggles of living
Jesmyn Ward joins Jeffrey Brown to talk about the fictional Mississippi town featured in her stories, as well as her own childhood home.