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Elizabeth Bear's new novel makes thoughtful use of steampunk elements in a lively tale of brothel inhabitants defending their house against a rival — and in the process uncovering a political plot.

African-American philosopher Cornel West's new book laments the decline of "prophetic" black leadership, lifting up examples of people who were willing to risk their lives in the service of the truth.

In our Weekend Reads series, NPR's Rachel Martin talks to Meg Medina about Isabel Quintero's novel, Gabi, a Girl in Pieces. It's the story of a Mexican-American teenager struggling with her identity.

Paul Tremblay's new novel is, on the surface, a story about a book about a reality show about a real-life event, but reviewer Jason Heller says it becomes an "unsettling conversation about the truth."

There are different kinds of fat people in literature — funny or comforting, sometimes despicable. But Sarai Walker's Dietland gives us a new fat protagonist — complex, compelling and dangerous.

Miranda July's new novel The First Bad Man defies neat summaries; reviewer Annalisa Quinn calls July "a master of the intimate weirdnesses of human thought," who treats dusty mental corners with care.

From a scapegoat for the "sapping" of the "white race," to a symbol of modern engineering, to a target of the counterculture movement: White bread's been a social lightning rod time and again.

Polish author Olga Tokarczuk's new collection is a cabinet of curiosities — surreal, loosely connected stories about the human body, about movement, about two-headed calves and saints' relics.

Former Guantanamo guard Steve Wood recently took a trip to Mauritania to visit Mohamedou Ould Slahi, the prisoner he watched for almost a year.

On Sunday, it was the 55th day this year that the official reading at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport hit 110 degrees. But the end may finally be in sight for residents of Arizona's largest city.

People in Florida already seem to be planning for their upcoming holiday trips. According to a recent AAA survey, 61% of those polled are securing their travel plans ahead of time.

Nothing says spring to writer Howard Yoon like Peeps. The squishy, marshmallow animals have a devoted following. A chocolate marshallow pie is a perfect way to savor them.

For most people, curry -- that happy intersection of pungent chili powder and fragrant spices -- epitomizes Indian food. But the vast country's kitchens offer so much more. Roseanne Pereira provides a primer to the kaleidoscope of Indian spices and recipes for some of her favorite dishes.

As consumers cut back their spending in the worsening economy, the effects are being felt even in the wastepaper recycling and exporting industry. Decreased demand for products means a drop in the need for packaging — and the recycled materials that it's made from.

The NPR Board of Directors has announced that Vivian Schiller will be the new president and CEO. Schiller is vice president and general manager of NYT.com.

The recent report from York, Pa., in which Michele Norris and Morning Edition's Steve Inskeep spoke to a diverse group of voters about race and politics generated lots of equally diverse feedback.

In an NPR interview, a former Bush administration official says a decision by Tehran to recount some ballots in last week's disputed election is a positive step, but is ultimately aimed at keeping incumbent leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in power.

The data, apparently taken from a location used to automate email messages, was made available by an “unknown and unauthorized party” on an online forum, HCA announced.

Another batch of negative economic reports Tuesday: One showed inflation sharply higher; another found consumers in a glum mood; and a third reported housing prices continuing to fall. Nevertheless, the stock market ended the day up.

While the Democratic presidential candidates are campaigning down to the wire in the important states of Texas and Ohio, the GOP presidential frontrunner took the weekend off. Sen. John McCain returns to the campaign trail Monday in Texas, where he's hoping to solidify his party's nomination.

Many listeners wrote in about Wade Goodwyn's story on UFO sightings in Texas, and one pointed out that we missed a teaching opportunity about superior mirage phenomenon. Robert Siegel talks with Christine Pulliam, a spokeswoman for the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, to find out more.

Republican Pete Domenici announces he won't seek re-election because of a progressive brain disease.

The grand lady and great dame Kitty Carlisle Hart passed away peacefully after a short illness this past week. The singer-actress had lived 96 fabulous years.

Rock pioneer Bo Diddley, who died Monday at the age of 79, leaves behind a sound that helped build a musical genre. Born in Mississippi and raised in Chicago, Diddley played guitar on street corners before being discovered by Chess Records.

The U.S. is demanding an immediate and complete withdrawal of Russian forces from Georgia, after the Georgian president signed a cease-fire agreement mediated by France. Meanwhile, Russian troops came within 20 miles of the Georgian capital Friday.