Parton, who died at 80 on Tuesday, had charm, depth, beauty, wit and radiant goodness. She was also a songwriter whose work told the story not just of country music but of the country itself.

Like much of Rachel Cusk's work, Life of M is driven by her concern with conditions that impede self-definition -- for writers, artists, and women in particular.

Theaters have had something for everyone this summer, and fans are paying top dollar for premium formats like IMAX. There are also fewer moviegoers, fewer movies and fewer screens than there were pre-COVID.

A song that Dolly Parton wrote for a 1980 movie has become not only a pop hit — it continues to resonate broadly with American workers.

NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Jeff Conyers, president and vice chair of the Dollywood Foundation, about Dolly Parton's philanthropy, including the Imagination Library.

The artist was a star performer in country music and went on to become one of the genre's most recognizable and universally adored ambassadors to broader popular culture.

In The Jackal, national security writer Joby Warrick writes about the playboy terrorist who killed and kidnapped for years, eluding law enforcement while frequenting nightclubs and luxury hotels.

Fat Marmot Week is a competition that allows you to vote for the fattest, most rotund marmot.

If you're looking for an end-of-summer escape you can't go wrong with The Intrigue, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Under the Falls, by Richard Russo, or The Blue Flame, by George Pelecanos.

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Harvard professor and writer at the New Yorker Jill Lepore about her new book, "The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State."