NPR's Book of the Day Folgen

The first book in the The Hunger Games series was published more than a decade ago, ultimately launching a hugely popular film franchise, iconic characters and a devoted fan base of readers. This week, Suzanne Collins is out with Sunrise on the Reaping, the second prequel in the series. So we're revisiting a rare interview with Collins from early in her career. In today's episode, she speaks with NPR's Lynn Neary about drawing inspiration from the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, the movie Spartacus, reality television and war coverage.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

The Antidote opens on what seems like an ordinary Sunday in a fictional town in 1930s Nebraska. But by 3 p.m., apocalyptic clouds cover the sun and make the afternoon look like midnight. Karen Russell's latest novel is set during the Dust Bowl – a period when poor farming practices and drought led to a wave of severe and damaging dust storms. In this bleak setting, we're introduced to a cast of characters, including a woman who stores other people's memories and a photographer tasked with documenting the crisis. In today's episode, Russell speaks with NPR's Scott Simon about the inspiration behind The Antitode's core characters, including the work of photographer Gordon Parks and an image that came to Russell as she finished her first novel.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Two books set in Hollywood show different sides of the film business, from industry-shaping success to the personal frustration of rejection. First, Louis B. Mayer & Irving Thalberg: The Whole Equation is a history of the duo behind MGM Film. The nonfiction book by Kenneth Turan, a regular critic for the Los Angeles Times and NPR, follows the unlikely trajectory that led both men to the movies. In today's episode, Turan joins NPR's Scott Simon for a conversation that touches on early MGM films like Ben-Hur and Tarzan the Ape Man, antisemitism in Hollywood, and Mayer's complicated relationship with Judy Garland. Then, Simon speaks with British actor Rupert Everett, who's out with a new collection of short stories inspired by Hollywood rejection. The American No draws from film concepts and screenplays the actor pitched but never got the chance to make. In today's episode, he and Simon discuss Everett's autobiographical writing, his upbringing in a military family, and his early exposure to Julie Andrews.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy