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The former Soviet Union once spanned an area nearly the size of North America, and the flavors of that empire remain rooted in regional cuisines. But it's not all stick-to-your-ribs fare like borscht and potatoes and dumplings. There's also a strong tradition of light meals that make the most of summer.

The crunchy five-spice mix of India, the searing hot harissa from Tunisia, the aromatic herbes de Provence of southern France and the earthy berbere of Ethiopia are simple ways to bring global flavors into the kitchen with little effort.

Bearing no relation to the stringy, bland canned version, fresh bamboo shoots invoke a spirit of gratitude in these savory recipes with Japanese roots. The young tips of the hardwood stalks — tender and aromatic, with a taste like artichoke, corn and hearts of palm — are a fleeting springtime crop.

Tending her family's garden as a youngster seemed like one big summertime chore to Janet Zimmerman. But one thing made all the toil worth it, she says: corn so fresh it was growing in the afternoon, and on her plate by dinnertime. She's since discovered that on the cob isn't the only way to enjoy it.

In a stew, oysters keep the fresh mineral flavors of a raw bar — but with the plump texture of a cooked bivalve. It's a warming way to have the best of both worlds, in a simple and satisfying oyster stew. Here are four interpretations of a classic, with flavors from Japan, Mexico and New Orleans.

From endless book signings to heated arguments with booksellers, author M.J. Rose knows the value of self-promotion. NPR's Lynn Neary joins Rose on the road for a taste of what it means to be a writer in today's new world of publishing.

Disney Channel's new high school zombie musical; The Walking Dead's ratings reign; the buzz for the new book Dread Nation: In pop culture, the undead persist after our brains.

Indie animation king Bill Plympton's latest feature, Cheatin', tells the loopy love story of Jake and Ella, and how their perfect romance fractured. Reporter Jon Kalish visited Plympton in his studio.

The stories in Yiyun Li's book focus chiefly on people trying to put themselves together after loss, dealing with anguish that takes its time and rises from its dormancy at unexpected moments.

In Crooked, novelist Austin Grossman excuses Richard Nixon's rocky political career in the weirdest ways possible — by reimagining the former president as a warrior against supernatural forces.