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Author Bret Anthony Johnston offers his endorsement of the classic. Part of the genius in Vladimir Nabokov's tale of pedophilic love, says Johnston, is that the author makes his readers complicit.

A Depression-era circus provides the backdrop for Sara Gruen's latest novel, Water for Elephants. Veronique de Turenne, a Los Angeles-based writer, has a review.

If David Lipsky had to give an alien one book about American life, it would be David Foster Wallace's Consider the Lobster, a collection of essays that are "experiential postcards." Lipsky is the author of Absolutely American : Four Years at West Point.

Workers at the world's largest gold mine, located in Indonesia's remote Papua province, have gone on strike for higher pay; several people have died in clashes with police. Critics say the mine's owner, American mining conglomerate Freeport-McMoRan, operates with impunity because of powerful friends.

While six retired military generals have come out in the past weeks calling for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to step down, no active generals have followed suit. Time magazine reporter and commentator Douglas Waller offers some historical perspective on speaking out against a senior official.

In a closely watched court case in Mississippi, a federal judge rules that a couple cannot collect damages from Hurricane Katrina's storm surge because their insurance policy excludes flood damage. The ruling could set a precedent for thousands of other cases.

One company is selling breathalyzers to bars allowing patrons to self-test and see whether they've exceeded the legal limit. But some bar owners worry that patrons might decide to drink less if they see their blood alcohol level is too high.

D.J. Nostradamus and M.C. Ladybug Mecca talk about a new CD featuring the music of jazz legend Billie Holiday with a bit of a kick.

Gefilte fish has a special place in Jewish cooking and tradition as a misunderstood but delicious treat. Jewish cooking guru Joan Nathan cooks a homemade batch of gefilte fish with Jacki Lyden.

A new documentary tells the story of two rival ballet companies: the original Ballet Russe and the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. They were two of the most famous and influential ballet companies of the 20th century. Filmmakers Dan Geller and Dayna Goldfine shot many hours of interviews with surviving dancers, including Irina Baronova.

Halloween has become big business, earning at least $7 billion annually for those who make their living trying to scare us. Haunted houses, of course, are one of the biggest players, and NPR's Allison Keyes reports on the challenges of competing for our souls.

Libya's liberation was declared over the weekend, and residents of Sirte, Moammar Gadhafi's battered hometown, are beginning to return to their homes.