Kerri Miller Feature

Explaining the latest literary trend: 'Grip lit'
First there was "chick lit." Now there is "grip lit": the boom of dark crime novels written by women.
Kevin Powell on what a woman taught him about being a man
Kevin Powell's memoir explores what it means to be a man in today's society. But, he said, he learned a lot of it from a woman: Zora Neale Hurston.
'Girls & Sex': What's missing from the conversation
Peggy Orenstein's new book explores the modern sexual landscape for teenagers, and the mixed messages being sent by parents, peers and the media.
Who was Joe Gould, and did he really write the world's longest book?
Years ago, two New Yorker articles told the story of a Harvard dropout who claimed to be writing the longest book ever. Did he succeed? In 'Joe Gould's Teeth,' Jill Lepore tries to answer that question.
Prairie gardening: Tips and tricks
Only 2 percent of Minnesota's original prairies remain, but gardeners can create spaces for native plants and species in their own backyards.
Luke Burbank on coming clean
Public radio veteran Luke Burbank is the first to admit he isn't a big reader. But he's taken a cue from Hunter S. Thompson.
Exploring Shanghai and the 'Street of Eternal Happiness'
Shanghai is home to more than 20 million people. Rob Schmitz captures the life of the city by telling the story of just one street, and his neighbors who live there.
Diversity in children's books goes deeper than race
"The thing I'm most fascinated by is class," said author Matt de la Pena. "I like to describe it this way: My goal is to show the beauty and grace that exists 'on the wrong side of the tracks.'"
Viet Thanh Nguyen on hiding in plain sight
Viet Thanh Nguyen, who just won a Pulitzer Prize for his novel "The Sympathizer," shares how Ralph Ellison inspired him to become a writer.
A spare and suspenseful novel of family drama
"Shelter," Jung Yun's debut novel, follows a young couple who find themselves underwater in their mortgage and their marriage.