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The star of NBC's 30 Rock talks to Terry Gross about his tough childhood, how he made the grade in the comedy college that was Saturday Night Live, and why even though he may cry a little on the radio, "the funny bus is still sitting downstairs." (Rebroadcast from Oct. 22, 2009)

Inventory, the new book of pop-culture lists from the publishers of The Onion, celebrates and skewers topics like pretentious musical instruments and songs about the horrors of bus travel. A.V. Club Managing Editor Josh Modell talks about some favorite lists with Scott Simon.

McCann's novel, Let the Great World Spin, won the National Book Award. He tells Steve Inskeep that his book — set in New York on the day a man walked on a tight-rope between the towers of the World Trade Center — is an attempt to reconstruct an event to find moments of grace and understanding in history.

Kathryn Stockett's first novel, The Help, has become a New York Times best-seller — and it has its readers buzzing about its racial themes. She says the book is not autobiographical, even though she was raised in Mississippi with a black maid. But Stockett says criticism over how she characterizes the black maids makes her "cringe."

Food writer Nigella Lawson knows that the holiday season can be overstuffed with planning and decorating. She offers Renee Montagne two recipes — chocolate chip chili and a Christmas-y rocky road — to help keep things warm and simple.

The Magus is the story of a man who wished for adventure — only to be disappointed when that wish comes true. Author Nick Dybek says he identified with the book when he read it at age 20. Was there ever a time you longed for a more interesting life? Tell us about it in the comments.

U.S. traffic officials who hope to get drivers to slow down may have found something that works: a GPS device that gives drivers a financial incentive not to speed. Some 12,000 Americans die every year in traffic crashes caused by speeding, according to government statistics.

With millions of Americans preparing to fly over the upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is urging airlines to step up their game so travelers aren't stranded.

If you have a smart speaker and small children in the same household, you might be surprised to find what plays when they inevitably yell, "Alexa, play poop."

California is home to some of the country's strictest environmental regulations. Those standards can sometimes spread to other states and beyond. It's known as the "California Effect."