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A genre of fiction known variously as "street lit," "ghetto lit," "urban lit" or "hip-hop lit" has begun registering impressive sales, catching the attention of the publishing industry. Previously sold as typewritten photocopies on street corners, these pulp-fiction books now appear in slick paperbacks available in bookstores and online. Karen Michel reports.

Economist Sonali Deraniyagala lost her husband, parents and two sons in the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. Wave is her searing, unflinching account of learning to live with that loss, and of allowing herself to remember the life that she lost.

One of the most promising sights in jazz is Paquito D'Rivera, coming your way with his clarinet bag over his shoulder, smiling and looking to spread his goodwill. Still, as joyful and funny as he is, D'Rivera takes his hard-won musical freedom seriously. The clarinetist's quintet takes a trip around Latin America in a concert from >>>JazzSet.

Gay marriage is back in the headlines: President Obama followed Vice President Joe Biden and Education Secretary Arne Duncan in expressing support for same-sex marriage this week. Meanwhile, voters in North Carolina passed an amendment to their constitution that defines marriage as between a man and a woman only. Weekends on All Things Considered host Guy Raz talks with two supporters of the amendment, Tami Fitzgerald of Vote for Marriage North Carolina and Pastor Patrick Wooden. He also speaks with Richard Tafel, founder of Log Cabin Republicans, a group that advocates for the rights of gays and lesbians.

Thielemans is the man who made the harmonica a jazz instrument. In a Brazilian-heavy set recorded at the 2005 Tanglewood Jazz Festival, he's joined by Oscar Castro-Neves, Airto, and pianist Kenny Werner. Now in his 80s, Thielemans still loves to play. Collaboration between WBGO and WGBH.

With members bred in England and Australia, The Greencards may well be the best Americana artist with no native claim to North America. Hear the band perform live at Cleveland's Beachland Ballroom, in a concert recorded May 4.

Edith Piaf's triumphant, tormented life — in lush, supersaturated colors and with Piaf's own songs as a soundtrack.

Read an exclusive excerpt of Meg Wolitzer's new book, The Interestings. It's the story of a group of bright, talented kids who bond at summer camp in the 1970s — dubbing themselves the Interestings — and what happens to friendship and early promise as the years roll along.

The Bush administration announces that it will lift its economic and political embargo against the Palestinian government, as President Bush prepares to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to discuss how to deal with the Fatah-Hamas rivalry.

On New Year's Eve in New Orleans, the Evan Christopher/Tom McDermott Danza Quartet held sway with a set of music that was anything but picayune. With a sousaphone-toting bassist and a tambourine-banging drummer, the quartet made the show an affair to remember.

Hezbollah's chief Hassan Nasrallah on Thursday threatened Israel with open war after accusing Israelis of killing one of its top commanders. "Zionists, if you want this type of open war then let the whole world hear: let it be an open war," Nasrallah told mourners at the funeral of Imad Mughniyeh.

President Obama announced that he is nominating Ben Bernanke to another four-year term as head of the Federal Reserve. The president said Bernanke shepherded the U.S. through the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.