entertainment - "book"

AP - 'Presidential Travel. The Journey From George Washington to George W. Bush' (University Press of Kansas. 328 pages. $34.95), by Richard Ellis: In 1833, President Andrew Jackson was a steamboat passenger when a lieutenant he had once fired asked him if he was, in fact, President Jackson. Jackson allowed as how he was, and was greeted with a punch in the nose.

Sebastian Barry's subject is the history of his native land, Ireland, in the early part of the 20th century.

Next month will mark the centennial of the birth of eminent US food writer M.F.K. Fisher, author of more than 20 books including “Consider the Oyster,” “How to Cook a Wolf,” and “The Gastronomical Me.”

AP - 'Conquistador: Hernan Cortes, King Montezuma and the Last Stand of the Aztecs' (Bantam Books. 330 pages. $27.50), by Buddy Levy: Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes met the mighty Montezuma during a brief but elaborate ceremony in the Aztec ruler's home city of Tenochtitlan on Nov. 8, 1519.

Growing up in Yazoo City, Miss., Caroline Langston started her lifelong obsession with weddings — especially those of the Southern variety — at an early age. Here are her three books with brides, bouquets and shrimp remoulade.

An African author is giving voice to the children of Africa who face hardships. Uwem Akpan discusses his new book of short stories, Say You're One of Them, and explains why he feels their stories must be told.

A new generation of activists have used hip hop music and culture to get young people into politics. But author John McWhorter has a new book, which argues that hip hop provides hindrances, not help, to black America.

Seasons of Sand Sahara by Ernst Aebi. The true story of how one man changed an almost deserted desert village from squalor and near starvation into a self-sufficient community. I loved this book, but don't read it if you are looking for a happy ending. In true experiences, things do not always turn out the [...]

"Carnal Knowledge," Faye Flam's column on the science of sex, ran for nearly three years, with occasional quizzes. Her book about the male sex was published this month.

Whether or not you live in an area that gets hit by hurricanes, you're apt to find that your kids have questions about hurricanes when they see TV news reports....