Biography

The subtitle of this essay collection pretty much tells us what to expect: "Voluptuous Bagels and Other Concerns of Jack Friedman, Volume One."

We discuss a new biography that was named a "Best Book of 2022" by The New York Times, The New Yorker, NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Oprah Daily, USA Today, and various other outlets.

Our longtime book reviewer makes some page-turning suggestions for book lovers of all sorts -- and for those who might be shopping for book lovers.

"Masterful.... This book is an enduring, formidable accomplishment, a monument to the power of biography [that] now becomes the definitive work [on Hoover]." -- The Washington Post

Earlier this year, "A Life on Fire" was given the E.E. Dale Award from the Oklahoma Historical Society (for an Outstanding Book on Oklahoma History).

"Goes beyond the myth and into the guts of Thorpe's life, using extensive research, historical nuance, and bittersweet honesty to tell the story of a gifted and complicated man." -- Los Angeles Times

Our last conversation with the Pulitzer Prize winning historian on "The Wright Brothers."

"An engrossing look at a lesser-known aspect of Benjamin Franklin's legacy.... Enriched by vivid character sketches and lucid explanations of financial and policy matters, this is an entertaining examination of how a wise investment pays off." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Page-turners for the beach, the pool, the lake, the hammock, and/or that cozy sofa near the air-conditioning unit.

The Woody Guthrie Archive has recently acquired about 500 items once belonging to Oscar Brand, a key figure in American folk music.