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In his new book, The Philosophy of Hebrew Scripture, scholar Yoram Hazony makes the case that the ancient texts are a work of philosophy in narrative form. The scriptures are a cautionary tale — an epic that advocates wariness of great imperial powers and individualism in the face of authority.

In his new book, The Parties Versus the People, the former Republican congressman says party leaders have too much control over who runs for office, what bills make it to the floor and how lawmakers vote.

Thor Hanson's new book looks at the evolutionary significance of feathers in birds. Hanson tells Fresh Air that he's amazed by birds' magnitude of feathers, how feathers grow and how they're the "most efficient insulation known."

Author Paul Tough says parents should focus less on SAT and IQ scores, and more on fostering grit, curiosity and character in their kids. He argues that attachment is important in the first few years, but parents need to know when to step back and let their kids learn through trial and error.

Comedian Joan Rivers hates a lot of things. Her new book, I Hate Everyone, Starting With Me, details the things Rivers can't stand, from her appearance to obituaries to younger comedians who steal her gigs.

A new biography of David Foster Wallace traces the author's anxieties to childhood. Biographer D.T. Max says the accidents of Foster's life gave him the key to his writing.

Author Robert Sullivan retraces the steps of George Washington and his troops in his new book, My American Revolution: Crossing the Delaware and I-78. It recounts the 30-mile trek north from the Delaware River.

Ben Mattlin was born with a condition called spinal muscular atrophy. Many infants with the disease don't live past age 2, but Mattlin went on to attend Harvard, get married and have kids. "I had this dumb idea from childhood that I could do anything anybody else could do," he says.

In his new book, Ascent of the A-Word, linguist Geoffrey Nunberg looks at how the term took root among griping World War II GIs — and how its meaning evolved in the '60s and '70s. He tells Fresh Air that crude words are "wonderfully revealing."

In the author's latest novel, The Devil in Silver, a man is mistakenly committed to a mental hospital where a buffalo-headed monster stalks patients at night. LaValle tells Fresh Air why he picked monsters, about his family history of mental illness and how he had his own brush with psychological problems.