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When the U.S. introduced the measles vaccine, childhood deaths from all infections plummeted. Scientists think they might know why: Benefits of the measles vaccine go way beyond the measles.

Norman Lock's new novel takes readers on a breathlessly-paced tour of the Old West, from the point of view of a former Civil War bugle boy who tags along with some of the era's legendary characters.

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether states can ban same-sex marriage.

For a long time, Americans have been participating in a variety of competitions — for a long time.

The Bad Sex in Fiction Award honors awful sex scenes in literature, and this year's shortlist boasts plenty of names you might not expect, including a Booker winner and a perennial Nobel favorite.

J.C. Hallman's audacious account of his engagement with the erotic writing of Nicholson Baker makes a splash, but critic Heller McAlpin says the book sometimes runs aground in self-indulgence.

Bashar Assad expects a victory in Tuesday's presidential election to grant his regime legitimacy. David Greene talks to Sam Dagher, of The Wall Street Journal, for an election preview.

It's a classic element of the Oscars telecast: that sequence of clips paying tribute to film industry greats. Chuck Workman created them for 20 years, and likens his craft to making a fruitcake.

In 10 states, some female prisoners with infants are allowed to care for them. NPR's Arun Rath talks to Jessica Pishko about her reporting for Pacific Standard Magazine on prison nurseries.

Thomas McGuane's new story collection gives us a large cast of Big Sky dreamers, schemers and down-and-outs. Reviewer Alan Cheuse says it's a fascinating portrait of the state — with bonus bears.

The photo editing system Adobe Photoshop turned 25 this week. NPR's Arun Rath talks to co-founder Thomas Knoll about how the system has changed and where it's going.

Critic Juan Vidal recalls the power of protest poetry in days past, and wonders why poets no longer seem to be on the front lines of outrage. Have they stopped speaking, or have we stopped listening?

Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck are the standard-bearers of today's brash conservative radio, but they're descendants of a man who told stories more often than he raised his voice.

The North Carolina state fair is known for its ferris wheels, fried food and racing pigs. Now a group called Grass Roots North Carolina wants it to add…

Paul Thomas Anderson is a master of outlining times and places occupied by his strange dreamers. Inherent Vice, set in California in the 1970s, gets many things right, even if it's a bit too epic.

Angelo Bruno, known as the "Gentle Don," ran the Philadelphia Mafia in the 1960s and 1970s. He was shot and killed outside of his home in 1980.

Michel Martin takes a look at the phrase "marijuana monopoly." It's an idea at the heart of the debate over Ohio's marijuana legalization initiative, which is on the ballot this week.

While black stories debut on large and small screens, a Pew survey finds deep divisions on views of race in America. We examine how black America has changed through the lens of a hit TV remake.

Steven Spielberg directs an adaptation of the Roald Dahl book that goes long on sentiment and on ... well, length, but finds charm in its deployment of Mark Rylance as the CGI giant's voice.

Herta Müller's remarkable novel tells the story of a young schoolteacher who becomes convinced, through gruesome clues, that the Romanian dictator's secret police are closing in on her.