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Writer Max Allan Collins. His graphic novel Road to Perdition is the basis for the film. Mickey Spillane said of the novel, "I know mysteries, and I know comics and Road to Perdition is one great ride!" Collins twice won the Private Eye Writers of Americas Shamus award for his Nathaniel Heller historical thrillers, True Detective and Stolen Away. His comics credits include Dick Tracy, Batman, Ms Tree and Mike Danger.

Running 135 miles across Death Valley and halfway up a mountain -- all in the middle of summer -- sounds a bit crazy, if not life-threatening. NPR's Andy Bowers reports for All Things Considered on the motivations of some of the 79 runners who this July competed in what's often called the toughest foot race in the world: the Badwater Ultramarathon.

It's been three-quarters of a century since the Carter Family made its first recordings in Bristol, Tenn. The music of A.P. Carter, his wife Sara and her cousin Maybelle influenced countless country, folk and bluegrass artists. On Morning Edition, host Bob Edwards interviews the co-author of a new book about the Carter Family's musical legacy.

NPR's Jacki Lyden visits Castle Leslie, made famous when Paul McCartney was married there, and finds an 84-year-old disco-dancing host and his collection of ghostly artifacts.

While much of the desert Southwest has converted to water-wise landscaping, Phoenix has been slow to come around. NPR's Ketzel Levine, the Doyenne of Dirt, talks to some avant-gardeners who are taking heat for digging up their lawns.

Writer Michael Pollan. His book, The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World takes a look at four plants cultivated by humans: the apple, the tulip, potatoes and marijuana. Pollan demonstrates that plants and humans have developed a reciprocal, co-evolutionary relationship: do we plant potatoes, or do potatoes seduce us into planting them? Pollan questions the assumption that we are in charge of our agriculture. The book is now in paperback.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews a number of CDs devoted to the music of Hoagy Carmichael: Stardust Melody (Bluebird); Hoagy Sings Carmichael (Pacific Jazz); Stardust Melody: Beloved and Rare Songs of Hoagy Carmichael (A-Records); Bill Charlap: Stardust (BlueNote).

Jacki Lyden is joined by language expert Richard Lederer for our segment on listeners' peeves with language and grammar.

At 17, Jesse Jean was a failing student in danger of falling victim to Washington, D.C.'s, street crime.

Producers/writers/directors Justine Shapiro and B.Z. Goldberg. Their new documentary film Promises takes a look at the Palestinian-Isreali conflict thru the eyes of seven children living in or near Jerusalem. It was filmed between 1997 and the summer of 2000. SHAPIRO grew up in Berkeley, California and hosts and co-writes the award-winning travel series, Lonely Planet. Goldberg was born in Boston and grew up outside of Jerusalem and has been a television journalist. Promises was broadcast on PBS last December as part of the P.O.V. series.