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Rivka Galchen's new story collection mashes up Heidegger and Will Ferrell in an off-kilter marriage that critic Alan Cheuse says practically defines the notion of eccentricity — but delightfully so.

While still at university, J.R.R. Tolkien became fascinated by Finnish mythology, abandoning his Classics degree to adapt the epic Story of Kullervo — work that led to the creation of Middle Earth.

Gloria Norris' wrenching, darkly funny memoir of her abusive father has strong parallels to accounts of life in the Soviet Union. How do you respond to tyranny? What would it cost you to rebel?

Marisa Silver's new novel imagines the meeting of a Depression-era photographer and her now-iconic subject. Giving the characters different names but similar stories to their real-life counterparts, Silver tackles big questions about the morality of art.

In her new story collection, This Close, Jessica Francis Kane depicts a group of women who are worn down, overwhelmed by love and loss, yet familiar as old friends. Reviewer Jane Ciabattari says they are "our family, our friends and neighbors. They are us, at our most vulnerable."

Iain Sinclair, the foremost modern practitioner of "psychogeographic" nonfiction, explores the modifications to the London landscape in preparation for the 2012 Summer Olympics. This "scam of scams," as he calls it, is an expression of British state egotism.

From the commercially and critically successful Marie NDiaye, Three Strong Women moves from Senegal to France and back. The rich prose, translated by John Fletcher, links the lives of the three titular women — Norah, Fanta and Khady — as they navigate their struggles.

On Philanthropy, the artist's 14th studio album, Volker Bertelmann, also known as Hauschka, returns to his signature prepared piano sound in music he hopes will strengthen connections between people.

Christian conservatives who say that servicing a same-sex wedding violates their religious beliefs cite New Testament verses that suggest it is sinful not only to engage in homosexual behavior, but also to "approve" of it. Moderate theologians say such a literalist reading takes the lessons of the Bible out of context.

Apple Cider can taste different, depending on the fruit used to make it. Now, some cider makers are seeking out wild apples to make the beverage.

For years, there were rumors that filmmaker Henry Jaglom had taped hours of his conversations with Orson Welles but that the tapes had been lost. They weren't. Now the transcripts have been released in a new book, edited and introduced by Peter Biskind.

Legendary former Indiana basketball coach Bob Knight has a new book out, explaining his philosophy on coaching and life in general. It's called The Power of Negative Thinking, and Knight says he wants people to get rid of their rose-colored glasses and start working for what they want rather than just hoping.

As accusations of sexism ricochet through the book industry, Nell Freudenberger continues to craft wonderful literary fiction, writes Maureen Corrigan. Freudenberger's latest novel, The Newlyweds, tells the story of an Internet-arranged, cross-continental marriage.

From sparking the imagination to helping with mental health, listen to poems read by NPR readers and see how poetry has affected their lives.

The bridge was built mere yards from where Francis Scott Key watched the British bombardment of Fort McHenry in 1814, inspiring him to write the song that would become the U.S. national anthem.

New Zealand musician Nadia Reid talks about how homesickness fueled the songs on her latest album, Out of My Province.

Match Group was sued on Wednesday for violating consumer protection laws for allegedly addicting dating app users through "predatory" practices that mislead people searching for romantic partners.

A federal judge in Los Angeles has handed homeless veterans a major victory in court. The West LA Veterans Campus, which has been used for things that have nothing to do with veterans for decades.

It’s lawnmower season but some homeowners and others say it’s time to shift from well-trimmed lawns to more environmentally friendly landscaping.

Born Sept. 27, 1924, Powell helped set the style for jazz piano after WWII. While earlier pianists played busy bass patterns, he helped establish a more fragmented, punctuating role for the left hand.