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Growing up blond-haired and blue-eyed in Southern California, Joe Mozingo always thought his family name was Italian. In his book Fiddler on Pantico Run, he tells the family's secret, buried in 300 years of American history.

Kim Thuy based her award-winning novel Ru on her own experiences as a refugee from war-torn Vietnam. She says the word "ru" has a poetic double meaning: In archaic French, it means a rill or stream, but in Vietnamese, it means a lullaby to soothe a child.

A Palestinian man was shot dead by Israel's armed forces Friday, but the details were in dispute. Despite the killing, the truce still stands.

Talking about Jews in sports touches a "very central place in the Jewish psyche," says Franklin Foer. He and co-editor Marc Tracy have compiled an "unorthodox hall of fame" celebrating Jewish contributions to American athletics.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas continued to hold on Thursday and detailed negotiations between the two sides were due to start in Cairo. The biggest issue is how much the Israelis are willing to relax their blockade of Gaza. Leila Fadel and Philip Reeves talk to Audie Cornish about the prospects for turning the ceasefire into a lasting agreement.

Musician Michael Feinstein chronicles his experience working as an archivist and cataloger for legendary songwriter Ira Gershwin. The book is presented through the stories of 12 of the Gershwin brothers' songs, including "Fascinating Rhythm," "The Man I Love" and "I Got Rhythm."

According to poet Kevin Young, the best poems are like the best meals — they're made from scratch. Young has edited a new collection of poems that celebrate the pleasures of food, from "butter disappearing into whipped sweet potatoes" to oysters that taste like "starlight."

Philip Reeves has more on the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.

Margaret Talbot tells the story of her father, actor Lyle Talbot, in her memoir The Entertainer. He began his career as an assistant to a traveling hypnotist, and went on to star in movies with Shirley Temple and Humphrey Bogart — and played next-door neighbor Joe Randolph on Ozzie and Harriet.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in the Middle East to push for an end to the fighting between Israel and Hamas. She has met separately with Israeli and Palestinian Authority leaders. Cairo is her final destination, where she'll be meeting with Egypt's president who stands at the center of negotiations.