Petra Mayer appears in the following:
It's Back! NPR Unveils 2019 Book Concierge
Tuesday, December 03, 2019
The NPR 2019 Book Concierge is here! It features more than 350 recommendations from NPR staffers and trusted critics.
London's 'Mudlark' Pulls Treasure From The Thames
Sunday, November 10, 2019
"Mudlarks" were the people who made a living picking objects out of the mud along the River Thames. Writer Lara Maiklem follows in their tracks; she chronicles her journeys in a new book, Mudlark.
Imprisoned As 'Immoral', A Lost Grandmother Inspired 'Evidence Of V'
Friday, October 25, 2019
Sheila O'Connor never knew her maternal grandmother, who was imprisoned in a state reform school when she became pregnant at 15. But now, she's reconstructed her grandmother's life in fictional form.
Tracy Chevalier Says 'A Single Thread' Can Make All The Difference
Sunday, September 29, 2019
Chevalier's new novel follows one of the generation of "surplus women," who lost their men in World War I and had to make new lives for themselves — sometimes outside the bounds of convention.
Hear Margaret Atwood Read From 'The Testaments,' Her Sequel To 'The Handmaid's Tale'
Wednesday, September 04, 2019
In this recording, exclusive to NPR, Atwood returns to the world of The Handmaid's Tale, reading from her long-awaited sequel. Some 15 years after the first book, it introduces a few new voices.
We Did It For The LOLs: 100 Favorite Funny Books
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
We thought you might need a laugh right about now, so this year's summer reader poll celebrates all the books (and one short story, and a few uncategorizable gems) that make you laugh out loud.
Comic-Con 2019, Day 3: Cosplay Day! (Plus, Yes, The Marvel Panel)
Sunday, July 21, 2019
At San Diego Comic-Con, fans strut their stuff in all kinds of costumes — some homemade, some elaborately professional. Even pets and little kids get in on the act.
In 'Queen Of The Sea,' The Story Rides On Goatback
Sunday, July 21, 2019
Dylan Meconis' new graphic novel is set on a mysterious island off the coast of a country that's not quite Tudor England. It's an alternate history, loosely based on the youth of Queen Elizabeth I.
Comic-Con 2019, Day 2: The Infamous Coffee Cup
Saturday, July 20, 2019
On the second full day of San Diego Comic-Con, highlights include the last-ever (maybe) Game of Thrones panel and the Eisner Awards, celebrating the best work in comics. (Also, some good cosplay.)
San Diego Comic-Con Is Turning 50: Here's Its Origin Story
Friday, July 19, 2019
50 years ago, a bunch of teenaged comics fans got together to plan a convention, and what started with 300 people in a hotel basement became the pop culture juggernaut known as San Diego Comic Con.
Comic-Con 2019, Day 1: Sleepless In San Diego
Friday, July 19, 2019
San Diego Comic-Con kicked off Thursday, with more than 130,000 attendees expected. Big draws of the day were Lin-Manuel Miranda and Arnold Schwarzenegger — and a surprise appearance from Tom Cruise.
Judith Krantz, Queen Of The Sex And Shopping Novel, Dies At 91
Monday, June 24, 2019
Judith Krantz, queen of the 'sex and shopping' novel, has died at 91. Beginning with Scruples in 1978, she sold millions of books with her signature mix of high fashion, hot sex and female ambition.
Summer Reader Poll 2019: Meet Our Expert Panelists!
Thursday, June 13, 2019
We've got fantastic judges for this year's summer reader poll! Alexandra Petri, Aparna Nancherla, Guy Branum and Samantha Irby will take your votes and curate a final list of 100 side-splitting reads.
LOL — This Year's Summer Reader Poll Is All About Funny Books
Tuesday, June 11, 2019
Take these books ... please?! Our famous Summer Reader Poll is back, and this year we're celebrating funny books. What makes you laugh — or giggle, or even just snicker quietly? We want to know!
Questions For Arkady Martine, Author Of 'A Memory Called Empire'
Sunday, April 07, 2019
City planner and Byzantine historian Arkady Martine puts her academic experience to work in a new novel about an ambassador from a small space station who comes to the court of a devouring empire.
This Valentine's Day, Make A Date With A Book
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
Sure, it's great to celebrate love, but why not escape all the relationship pressures, buy yourself some chocolate and make a date with a good romance novel? Here are five our our all-time favorites.
Albert Finney, Who Played Tom Jones, Daddy Warbucks And Hamlet, Dies At 82
Friday, February 08, 2019
The renowned British actor was nominated for five Oscars and two Tony Awards, among other prizes. His career spanned six decades, from understudying Laurence Olivier to appearing in a James Bond film.
The Monkees Tried To Cut Their Strings With 'Head'
Saturday, December 29, 2018
Hey, hey, they were the Monkees, and by 1968 they were sick and tired of their manufactured boy-band image, so they took a sledgehammer to it in the surreal, angry, stream-of-consciousness Head.
NPR's Book Concierge: Our Guide To 2018's Great Reads
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
The Book Concierge is back! Explore more than 300 standout titles picked by NPR staff and critics.
Exclusive: 'Friday Black,' 'There There' And More Longlisted For Aspen Words Prize
Monday, November 19, 2018
Other titles include Ling Ma's Severance and Elaine Castillo's America is Not the Heart. This is the second year for the prize, which focuses on fiction that addresses contemporary issues.