Search results for

In the golden age of the circus, aerialist Lillian Leitzel captivated crowds around the world with her effortless, high-flying stunts under the big top. Dean Jensen's new book, Queen of the Air, chronicles Leitzel's difficult but glamorous life, and the lives of her performing family.

Kevin West, author and blogger, takes NPR's Lynn Neary to a farmers market to choose the summer's best produce for canning. "You take this experience ... and you put it in the jar. And six months from now we will re-experience that moment," West says.

Iain Banks' last novel, The Quarry, follows awkward teen Kit, his dying father Guy, and a group of Guy's former friends as they search for a possibly incriminating videotape. Reviewer Ellah Allfrey says The Quarry isn't Banks' best work, but "it doesn't disappoint."

Carole King wrote songs for others before becoming a performer and writing for herself. In her memoir, A Natural Woman, she details the stories behind some of her most famous songs and her relationships with songwriters like James Taylor, Gerry Goffin and Paul Simon.

A $99 video game console funded through Kickstarter went on sale this week. Ouya is significantly cheaper than the big-brand consoles and also relies on a different business model. Games are sold through something like an app store, allowing customers to sample them before buying.

The world's largest retailer Wal-Mart is joining the list of companies severing ties with southern food star Paula Deen. The Savannah, Georgia-based cook and restaurateur has been on the front burner since an admission she used a racial slur in the past.

For some couples, the Supreme Court's ruling to strike down part of the Defense of Marriage Act will have significant financial impact. The amount of federal income tax they pay could go down, and their health insurance and other benefits could be affected too.

Researchers are developing a technology that could draw carbon dioxide directly out of the air. It's very expensive now, but it works, and one company is already trying to identify a market for all that captured greenhouse gas.

Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, the drummer for The Roots, has been a musician since he was a teen. In Mo' Meta Blues, he explains how his musician father groomed him for a life in show business.

When her abusive ex-husband kidnapped their daughter and returned to Syria, Louise Monaghan went after them. The story of how she escaped with her life and her daughter is the subject of her new book, Stolen.