Books & Literature

Journalist Arnaud de Borchgrave co-wrote a spy-thriller novel called The Spike, which draws on his experience as a foreign correspondent. He talks about the role intelligence agencies often play in the world of journalism.

In her new book, Shielded: How the Police Became Untouchable, Joanna Schwartz examines the legal protections — including qualified immunity and no-knock warrants — that have protected officers from the repercussions of abuse.

Ever since Peter Minuit bought Manhattan Island from the Native Americans, New York City's character has been defined by money and con artistry. So it is that classic New York stories are always populated by a grifter or two.

Gonzo journalist Frank Owen, author of Clubland: The Fabulous Rise and Murderous Fall of Club Culture, has turned his attention to the history of the drug methamphetamine — and he went on a four-day meth binge as part of his reporting. The book is titled No Speed Limit: The Highs and Lows of Meth.

Science fiction novelist Douglas Adams has recently released a sequel to his book A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. He has also garnered acclaim for the original novel's BBC Radio adaptation, which he also writes.

Novelist Judith Viorst has written humorous books for children and for adults and is also a contributing editor to Redbook. Viorst spent years studying at the Psychoanalytic Institute in Washington, D. C. before writing her new book, "Necessary Losses." The non-fiction work's subject is coping with loss.

Didion, who died Dec. 23, was known her cool, unsentimental observations. Her books include Slouching Towards Bethlehem and The Year of Magical Thinking. Originally broadcast in 1987 and 2005.

Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews a new travel memoir that features tigers and moments of painful change and solitude and listening.

Susan Burton writes about her experiences with anorexia and compulsive eating in the new memoir Empty. She says the title of the book was inspired by the feeling she chased for so many years.