For help in choosing your summertime reading, here are some interviews with local authors, plus recommendations from NPR critics, writers, and listeners. Click on the Real Audio or MediaPlayer logos to listen to the interviews and on the NPR Summer Books link for more recommendations.

Truth

Sojourner Truth was born a slave and became an outspoken abolitionist. She is memorialized in a new statue in Florence, Massachusetts, and her life story is told in Truth, a new novel by Jacqueline Sheehan. WFCR's Bob Paquette spoke to Sheehan about her novel.

• Jacqueline Sheehan reads from her novel Truth Tuesday, September 25 at 7:30 PM at Broadside Bookshop in Northampton.

New Work of Dogs

On a book tour to promote his book A Dog Year, Jon Katz met other dog owners and realized how important a role dogs play in our emotional lives. WFCR's Bob Paquette spoke to Katz about his new book, The New Work of Dogs: Tending to Life, Love and the Family. (7/18/03)

Street Soldier

Edward MacKenzie grew up hard on the streets of South Boston, drifting into a life of crime. WFCR's Bob Paquette talked to MacKenzie about his memoir Street Soldier: My Life as an Enforcer for Whitey Bulger and the Boston Irish Mob. (7/11/03)

Foul Ball

Former New York Yankee pitcher Jim Bouton, author of the bestseller Ball Four has a new book, Foul Ball, about his efforts to save the historic Pittsfield baseball field Wahconah Park from demolition. WFCR's Bob Paquette talked to Bouton about fighting the forces that wanted to build a new stadium.

Wealth and Our Commonwealth

With Congress voting on permanently eliminating estate taxes, Bob Paquette talked to Chuck Collins about the reasons for instituting the tax a century ago and the effects of its elimination. Collins is founder and Program Director of United for a Fair Economy and co-author with William Gates, Sr. of Wealth and Our Commonwealth: Why America Should Tax Accumulated Fortunes.

Art, Entertainment, Music and Book reviews from NPR

NPR Summer Book recommendations from member stations