The Best of NPR Books for March 5, 2015

This week: Erik Larson, hidden black histories and sci-fi futures, Monopoly and Margaret Drabble.

This week, an exclusive First Read of Erik Larson's new Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania, hidden black histories and golden science fiction futures, and the real story behind Monopoly (do you ever cheat? So did its creator). Plus, a great weekend read -- Margaret Drabble's The Millstone. FIRST READS Exclusive First Read: Erik Larson's 'Dead Wake' The Devil in the White City author Erik Larson turns his attention to the sinking of the linerLusitania almost 100 years ago — a turning point that helped bring the United States into World War I. Read this story CODE SWITCH This Month (And Every Month), Black Sci-Fi Writers Look To The Future For years, black authors stood out in science fiction and fantasy because there were so few. Now, says Alaya Dawn Johnson, though there are still obstacles, black authors are making themselves heard. Read this story AUTHOR INTERVIEWS Ever Cheat At Monopoly? So Did Its Creator: He Stole The Idea From A Woman The game Charles Darrow sold in the 1930s bore a striking resemblance to a game Lizzie Magie patented in 1904. In The Monopolists, Mary Pilon tells Monopoly's origin story. Read this story CODE SWITCH Uncovering Hidden Black History, On Screen And On The Page On TV and in the movies, it can sometimes seem like black people only existed during slavery or the civil rights era. K. Tempest Bradford recommends some books that bring hidden history to light. Read this story BOOK NEWS & FEATURES This Weekend, Experience The Enduring Power Of 'The Millstone' Margaret Drabble's The Millstone, set in the 1960s, tells the story of a young, unmarried woman who finds herself pregnant. Author Tessa Hadley says this 50-year-old novel is a weekend must-read. Read this story