Books category, Page 20

LOS ANGELES — “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling is facing hefty backlash after she posted a series of tweets about transgender people. Rowling drew outrage Saturday on Twitter when she criticized an opinion piece from Devex that used the phrase ” people who menstruate.” “I’m sure there used to be...

A new novel explores the construct of race in the diverging lives of light-skinned black twins, one of whom transitions into a life as a white woman. “The Vanishing Half” by Brit Bennett is beautifully written, thought-provoking and immersive. It follows Desiree and Stella, who hail from the town of...

As nationwide protests against racism and police violence continue, readers are seeking out books old and new on race and criminal justice. Robin Diangelo’s “White Fragility,” Michelle Alexander’s “The New Jim Crow” and Bryan Stevenson’s “Just Mercy” were among the works high on the bestseller lists Tuesday of Amazon.com and...

A decade after the “Hunger Games” series had apparently ended, readers were clearly ready for more. Suzanne Collins’ “The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” sold more 500,000 copies last week, even as many of the country’s bookstores were closed or offering limited service because of the coronavirus pandemic. The total...

LONDON — JK Rowling is publishing a new story called “The Ickabog,” which will be free to read online to help entertain children and families stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic. The “Harry Potter” author said Tuesday she wrote the fairy tale for her children as a bedtime story...

When the time comes to tell our grandkids about the pandemic of 2020, there will be no shortage of stories. It was scary. Everything shut down, and tens of thousands died. People were so panicked, you couldn’t find toilet paper or flour on store shelves. Schools closed. All you could...

Imagine if all the back and front yards — and even patio container plants — across the country were seen as one magnificent patchwork quilt, a “Homegrown National Park.” Home gardeners would join forces to bring back a variety of native plants to protect and nurture struggling birds, bees and...

Francois Clemmons vividly recalls a come-to-Jesus meeting with Fred Rogers 52 years ago, as if it happened yesterday. Clemmons, who had spent a good portion of his life struggling with his sexuality, was coming into his own as a gay man. He was frequenting a gay club behind the Greyhound...

“The Midnight Sun” will finally appear. Stephenie Meyer’s long-awaited prequel to her “Twilight” series is coming out Aug. 4, the author announced Monday. “The Midnight Sun” is narrated from vampire Edward Cullen’s perspective. Meyer had kept her fans in suspense all weekend with a countdown clock on her site that...

The long drought is broken. Diamond Comic Distributors, which delivers most comics to retailers in North America, announced April 28 on Twitter that it would resume full services on May 20. Diamond had previously announced in late March that it was halting all deliveries, which left comic shops with no...

In a life full of magical musical moments, few compare for Ted Templeman to the night he first saw Van Halen in a mostly empty Hollywood club. The elite record-maker and Warner Bros. record executive who had spent the decade producing albums for The Doobie Brothers, Van Morrison, Carly Simon...

Prince Harry has recorded a special message to celebrate the 75th anniversary of children’s favorite Thomas the Tank Engine. The Duke of Sussex introduces a new program called “Thomas and Friends: The Royal Engine,” which has a storyline that includes Harry’s father and grandmother, Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth II,...

Their reasons may differ, but crafters agree: Makers gotta make. Those who create things by hand — who weld, weave, play in clay or paints — are pursuing their passions the best they can during the coronavirus pandemic. The creative arts are soothing, fill time, and keep our minds and...

Coal and coke magnate Henry Clay Frick is the topic of two upcoming Zoom discussions hosted by the Fayette County Cultural Trust and author Cassandra Vivian. The discussions are planned for 11 a.m. April 28 and 4 p.m. April 30. Mt. Pleasant resident Vivian is the author of a new...

It appears “Hunger Games” fans eager for more Panem action have the odds in their favor. A prequel to the franchise that took in almost $3 billion at the box office is officially in the works, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Author Suzanne Collins’ new book “The Ballad of Songbirds...

Stories with gay and transgender themes, a spoof inspired by the family rabbit of Vice President Mike Pence, and classics by J.K. Rowling and Margaret Atwood were among the books that received the most objections last year at schools and libraries. On Monday, the American Library Association released its annual...

Alex Trebek will soon share his life story with the world. Simon & Schuster announced on Tuesday that the publisher will release “The Answer Is…: Reflections on My Life,” a memoir by the beloved and longtime “Jeopardy!” host that will hit shelves July 21 — one day before his 80th...

Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn only knew each other a short time before Cline’s death at the age of 30, but the friendship formed between two trailblazers of country music is enough to fill a book. Lynn’s new memoir, “Me and Patsy: Kicking Up Dust,” which was released this week,...

For a man who wrote so many books — 34 in 33 years — not many books have been written about Louis Bromfield. Pittsburgh author Stephen Heyman is remedying that oversight with his new book, “The Planter of Modern Life: Louis Bromfield and the Seeds of a Food Revolution” (W.W....

James Patterson has a history of helping independent bookstores. The best-selling novelist has donated millions in recent years to booksellers, while also giving millions to schools and libraries and literacy programs. Now, with stores closed or closing nationwide because of the coronavirus outbreak, Patterson has launched a new initiative. On...