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Alan Cheuse reviews Roddy Doyle's latest novel, The Guts. The book revisits some of the characters from Doyle's debut hit, The Commitments.

A five-year farm bill will end months of uncertainty for farmers and agriculture workers, its backers say. The Agricultural Act of 2014 would also end a long-criticized farm subsidy program.

After comparing the outrage over the richest one percent to Kristallnacht, venture capitalist Tom Perkins quasi-apologized Monday night. "The use of the word ... was a terrible misjudgment," he said, before noting "I don't regret the message."

Cokie Roberts' new children's book tells the stories of women who contributed to the success of the American Revolution — women like Martha Washington and Abigail Adams. She tells NPR's Steve Inskeep, "These were very, very politically passionate women. ... They were utterly devoted to the patriot cause."

After a more than two-year stall, lawmakers have reached a compromise on the Farm Bill. That mammoth piece of legislation deals with agriculture policy and governs the federal food stamp program. For more on the legislation, Steve Inskeep talks to Derek Wallbank of Bloomberg News.

President Obama is asking a group of CEOs to pledge not to discriminate against the long-term unemployed. But new research suggests that these job seekers may face an even greater challenge — many of them are not even being considered by employers. Our Planet Money team looks into the research and challenges facing these job seekers.

The political unrest in Ukraine is spreading. Steve Inskeep talks to Steven Pifer, senior analyst at the Brookings Institution and former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, about the issues behind the upheaval in Ukraine.

Mint Chocolate Trek is one of three new flavored toothpastes P&G has announced. The other two: Lime Spearmint Zest and Vanilla Mint Spark. Procter and Gamble says the dessert flavored toothpastes are as effective on teeth as any toothpaste.

Tea Party conservatives and some liberals agree on key criticisms as the new education standards roll out in 45 states: that they're a one-size-fits-all approach, create a de facto national curriculum, put too much emphasis on standardized tests and undermine teacher autonomy.

Also: Bookslut launches the Daphnes award; the life of the English literature adjunct; publisher arrested in China.

Even in states along the Gulf Coast they're preparing for snow and sleet as brutally cold temperatures spread south. To the north, wind chills will once again make it feel like the temperature's well below zero.

A new book explores the ways melting Arctic ice yield new shipping channels, new oil and gas resources — and potential profits. Journalist McKenzie Funk delves into the "booming business of global warming" in Windfall.

Financial markets around the world are enjoying a day of relative calm after a flare-up in emerging markets. India hiked interest rates and Turkey's central bank is considering doing the same thing as both countries search for ways to limit the fallout. Many emerging markets have made changes that make them less vulnerable to volatility.

In his State of the Union address, President Obama challenged Congress to overhaul immigration laws and increase the federal minimum wage.

In the lead-up to the Super Bowl, commentator Frank Deford explores why football's popularity seems to grow and grow, like a fungus. Unlike other sports that are played with high frequency, he says, fans work up an anticipation for their team's once-a-week game.

Ford Motor Company closed the books on 2013 with a strong fourth quarter. For the year, Ford's net earnings surpassed $7 billion. It delivered 6.3 million vehicles, an increase of more than half a million over 2012. But Ford is warning this year will be a tough one.

Frank Almond of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra had just finished a performance Monday night with his 1715 Stradivarius, when it was stolen from him. The violin is estimated to be worth $6 million.

Isabel Allende dips a toe in the waters of genre fiction with her new novel Ripper — about a girl who puts her online gaming group to work tracking down a serial killer who's targeted her mother. Reviewer Amal El-Mohtar says the book would function just as well as a character study, without the crime plot.

In Atlanta, Birmingham and other places, people who got on the roads Tuesday afternoon still weren't home Wednesday. At many schools, students and teachers slept overnight on wrestling mats and classroom carpets. Forecasters got it wrong — the storm hit further north than they expected.

Tell Me More looks at how to connect investors to women-owned businesses. Indiegogo co-founder Danae Ringelmann and Pipeline Fellowship's Natalia Oberti Noguera share their ideas.