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Author Steven Waldman writes that the religious basis for the United States is "religious liberty"-- the practice of promoting faith by leaving it alone. Waldman seeks to debunk popular myths about the founding father's beliefs in his book Founding Faith: Providence, Politics, and the Birth of Religious Freedom in America.

In northern Pakistan, a deal is in the works to end the war in the Swat Valley, once a vacation destination now largely in the hands of the Taliban. The Taliban in the area unilaterally declared a ten-day ceasefire in the Swat Valley after the provincial government in northwest Pakistan and Islamist militants reached an agreement in which Islamic judicial practices will be enforced in part of the northwest.

From 1935 to 1939, an army of folklorists and writers went in search of tales both real and tall. These stories of America in the Great Depression were gathered by literary giants like Ralph Ellison, Zora Neale Hurston and Jim Thompson. A new book revisits the project.

After a group of hard-line Hindu activists barged into a pub last month and roughed up female clients who were enjoying a quiet drink, one woman took a stand. She and her allies are set to retaliate against the "moral police" by distributing pink underwear to the group.

The Newsweek journalist writes that the NYPD has become one of the world's best intelligence-gathering operations; his book Securing the City explores New York City's creation of an elite counter-terror force.

A handful of airlines are introducing onboard Internet access, letting passengers surf the Web and check their e-mail — for a fee. For the airlines, it's a much-needed source of revenue. For some business travelers, it's a way to stay productive in the air. But critics have raised concerns about security and privacy. Commentator Eric Weiner also is worried — for different reasons.

Washington Post senior correspondent Thomas Ricks says the Iraq war is likely to last at least another five to 10 years. He has written a new book about General David Petraeus and the Iraq war called The Gamble.

Memoir writers Azar Nafisi and Azadeh Moaveni chronicle life in pre- and post-revolution Iran — and offer a glimpse of a people struggling to find pockets of freedom within a repressive regime.

Every generation of Americans reinvents Abraham Lincoln in its own image. Among the crush of recent Lincoln books, these three help us understand his personality, power and relationship to his times.

In his new book, The Tyranny of Bad Ideas, author Matt Miller says Americans need to let go of certain outmoded beliefs. On the list? The idea that our children will earn more than we do and the notion that taxes are bad and free trade is good.