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In his new book, Imagine, Jonah Lehrer explores the art and science of original thinking — from Shakespearean tragedies to the invention of masking tape to Nike's "Just Do It" campaign. And when you get stuck? "Take a very long, warm shower," Lehrer says.

Jon Roberts is the man considered most responsible for bringing cocaine into the US during the 1970s and '80s through the Medellin drug cartel. In American Desperado, a book he co-wrote with journalist Evan Wright, he tells all, from working in the Mafia in New York City to smuggling drugs in Miami.

On the evening Oct. 16, 1859, abolitionist John Brown led a raid he hoped would ignite a nationwide uprising against slavery. Tony Horwitz tells the story of how Brown's defeat helped spark the Civil War, in Midnight Rising.

Former Jeopardy! champ Ken Jennings charts what he calls "the wide, weird world of geography" in his latest book, Maphead. He profiles Google Maps engineers, geocachers, imaginary mapmakers, map collectors, geography bee contestants and "road geeks."

With voting nearly complete, long-time workers should soon see pay rise by about 33%, while some newer workers and temps will see their pay more than double. Final tallies are expected this weekend.

NPR's Ayesha Rascoe plays the puzzle with Stephen Portnoy of Hillsboro, Oregon and Weekend Edition puzzlemaster, Will Shortz.

The French capital wasn't always beautiful. Author Joan DeJean details the city's transformation in the 17th century, as new bridges and boulevards turned desolate terrain into the City of Light.

In The Teacher Wars, Dana Goldstein chronicles the history of the profession and current topics like tenure. She says the idea that teachers can help fight poverty has existed since the 19th century.

Grisham is returning to the world of his first novel, A Time to Kill, with a sequel called Sycamore Row. The book comes out at the same time as the stage adaptation of A Time to Kill opens on Broadway. NPR's Lynn Neary profiles Grisham, who says he loved writing the new book so much, he didn't want to hand it to the publisher.

In the early '90s, Ruben Castaneda was a crime reporter for The Washington Post, and an addict who bought crack on the very streets he wrote about. His new book is called S Street Rising.