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Creating ethanol from corn is less energy efficient than other possible sources, like switchgrass and other "woody" plants. And ethanol is just one part of the alternative-energy mix, which also includes wind power and fuel cells, Ira Flatow says in a new book.

Hank Williams' 1949 hit foreshadows his untimely death four years later, at the age of 29.

Barack Obama's maternal grandmother has died of cancer in Hawaii. Madelyn Payne Dunham was 86. The Democratic presidential nominee says Dunham was the cornerstone of the family and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength and humility.

Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has announced the death of his grandmother Madelyn Dunham. The 86-year-old Dunham had been battling cancer.

Turkish author Orhan Pamuk's Snow is an admittedly political novel. But while its subject matter touches upon everything from the European Union to Islamic fundamentalism, Snow has been praised for its indelible characters, its insistence on a basic humanity. NPR's Steve Inskeep spoke with Pamuk about his latest novel.

Rock journalist Bob Spitz's new biography of the Beatles is decidedly not prettified: venereal disease, drugs, and bad business are all part of the story of the Fab Four. The book is The Beatles: The Biography.

Edward R. Murrow brought rooftop reports of the Blitz of London into America's living rooms before this country entered World War II. After the war, Murrow and his team of reporters brought news to the new medium of television. NPR's Bob Edwards discusses his new book on the broadcasting legend. Hear NPR's Renee Montagne's extended interview with Edwards, and read an excerpt from Edward R. Murrow and the Birth of Broadcast Journalism.

The video game industry is home to a cast of characters as quirky, rebellious and diverse as the world they create. In her new book, Smart Bomb, author Heather Chaplin provides a behind-the-scenes look at the world of game developers.

The Treasury Department on Sunday proposed a three-part rescue plan to bolster housing finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The plan aims to calm jittery investors while enabling the two government-chartered companies to remain public.

Simone de Beauvoir is one of the towering figures of 20th century France. While she has perhaps slipped into the shadows of American memory, her pioneering work, The Second Sex, is still regarded as one of the cornerstones of modern feminist thinking.

A new book collects the profiles and essays of Marjorie Williams, including some she wrote about the cancer that eventually claimed her life. Her husband, Timothy Noah, discusses The Woman at the Washington Zoo.

Fresh Air's classical music critic reviews an 80-disc set of recordings by Canadian pianist Glenn Gould. The collection, issued 25 years after Gould's death replicates the look of the original LPs.