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When he retired from his job as a war correspondent, P.J. O'Rourke decided to take on a new kind of globe-trotting challenge: traveling for fun. In Holidays in Heck, he explains how touring the Galapagos Islands and horseback riding in Kyrgyzstan left him questioning the merits of recreational travel.

The year is 1622, and a tormented English Puritan strikes out for the Plymouth Plantation in Hugh Nissenson's moody, intelligent novel. Critic Maureen Corrigan says The Pilgrim is a work of straightforward historical fiction — of the sort that you don't see so much anymore.

Writer David Rakoff's received the 2011 Thurber Prize for American Humor for his essay collection Half Empty. In the book, Rakoff explains the powers of pessimistic thought as he analyzes topics such as a pornography trade fair, his neurotic childhood and his recent cancer diagnosis.

After 35 years as a Supreme Court justice, John Paul Stevens retired last year. His newly released memoir is about his time on the bench and the five Supreme Court chief justices he personally knew. He details his views of those justices and how his viewpoints on various issues evolved over the years.

In 1982 — long before she had her own TV show or magazine or brand — a young caterer named Martha Stewart wrote a book on entertaining in other people's homes. Now, nearly 30 years later, Stewart's 75th book invites readers into her own house.

Husband and wife doctor team Jerome Groopman and Pamela Hartzband have joined forces to help patients navigate the daunting and dysfunctional world of medicine. Doctors must be more patient, they say, and patients, better informed.

Emmy-nominated actress Amy Poehler talks to Ari Shapiro about her role as an aspiring local politician on the NBC comedy Parks And Recreation.

Israeli writer Amos Oz rarely settles for a happy ending. His latest book, Scenes from Village Life, doesn't have one and, according to Oz, neither does the recent release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

If you are uncertain about the implications of The Jock-Nerd Convergence or are unsure about the dangers posed by The Century Toad, fear not: author John Hodgman is here to explain them to you. Also: sardines.

American film critic Pauline Kael was a brash, exuberant female writer at a time when most of her colleagues were buttoned up — and male. The Age of Movies, a new collection of selected essays and movie reviews from Kael, showcases the gutsy and passionate style that made her a household name.