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Lily Tuck's novel of 19th century Paraguay wins the National Book Award for fiction. Tuck, awarded the prize for her novel The News From Paraguay, was one of five New York women authors nominated for the fiction award. Kevin Boyle won the nonfiction prize for Arc of Justice and Jean Valentine's Door in the Mountain won in the poetry category. Hear NPR's Lynn Neary.

Mark Radomsky, director of field services at Penn State's miner training program, discusses mine safety and the conditions under which miners work. He also describes the safety equipment that the miners at the Sago Mine would have with them.

Bayou La Batre, Ala., has been a Gulf Coast fishing hub for a century. But Hurricane Katrina made a shambles of the town's livelihood. Now 2,300 people are struggling to cope with present conditions in the face of an uncertain future.

With crude-oil prices hovering at or above $70 a barrel, more people are looking for alternative sources of energy. Others are asking how long existing sources will last.

There is a long list of former Goldman Sachs employees who've left Wall Street to work for the government. It's an unusual history of public service for a financial firm. Frank Langfitt reports.

Thom Yorke, lead singer of the band Radiohead, has just released his first solo record, The Eraser. Music critic Will Hermes says while the music may seem depressing, Yorke has actually written a soul-record for the 21st century.

Why are we compelled to read about celebrities such as Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes? Commentator Jake Halpern says it's for the same reasons that the ancient Greeks loved myths about the gods on Olympus.

Even before Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans' public schools faced teacher shortages, crumbling schools and deficient supplies. Steve Inskeep speaks with Bill Roberti, chief turnaround officer at the crisis management firm Alvarez & Marsal. Roberti was handling the problems in the Louisiana schools before the hurricane struck.

As presidential candidates deliver their messages across the nation, the author of "Born in the U.S.A." and "The Rising" is traveling the country delivering one of his own. The touring rocker talks about mixing music and politics.

NPR has spoken to many of the musicians nominated for this year's Grammy Awards. NPR's Miles Parks listens back to some of the best moments.