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The art of letter writing is also an act of preserving history. The correspondences gathered in the book Letters Of Note tell stories of delight, hope and loss — and the nature of human connection.

Summer and suspense fiction go together like the Fourth of July and firecrackers. Book critic Maureen Corrigan recommends four books that are deadly accurate in their aim to entertain.

In softcover nonfiction, Chuck Thompson makes the case for Southern secession, and Adam Winkler explores the history of the American gun control battle. In fiction, Rowling tries her hand at a novel for grown-ups.

Also: Sue Townsend was writing another Adrian Mole novel at the time of her death; the best books coming out this week.

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter announced this week that he would retire at the end of the season. "For the last 20 years I've been completely focused on two goals: playing my best and helping the Yankees win. ... It's time for something new." Author Julia Keller saw the move as a poetic flourish on a long career.

Chip Kidd doesn't judge a book by its cover — he creates covers that embody the books. Kidd's book covers are visual haikus that instantly convey the heart of the story inside. In his TEDTalk, he shows the art and deep thought of his cover designs.

Six years ago, the mystery writer sent Easy Rawlins off a cliff, seemingly killing him. Now, Easy's back on the streets his creator once called home. Mosley says other than Los Angeles, he and his detective hero don't have much in common, but NPR's Karen Grigsby Bates begs to differ.

When he was a kid, writer Chris Grabenstein loved tourist towns, so he set novels in one of his favorites — the Jersey shore. He says one of the great joys of writing is coming up with an interesting place to drop the body, like a roller coaster or a tilt-a-whirl.

Also: Paul Ryan is writing a book; more Craigslist poetry; Alexander McCall Smith on W.H. Auden.

The transition from one part of the world to another is filled with anticipation, conflict and drama. These trips can herald life-changing transformations for families seeking out better lives.