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The actress and author's first novel, When It Happens to You, is built of interlocking short stories about a group of characters who orbit each other and the plot, sometimes touching, often not — but always exerting a tug on each other. Ringwald says that even at the height of her teen stardom, she was writing.

Martin Amis' latest novel, Lionel Asbo, takes a bilious — but funny — look at the deterioration of England through the eyes of the titular lowlife Lionel, a habitual offender who doesn't mind repeated prison stints, and his crime-reporter nephew Desmond.

In Bangladesh, the army-backed interim government has eased a curfew that was imposed in a bid to end days of clashes between police and students. Authorities have called the violence a "conspiracy" and have closed a number of universities in the capital and other cities.

The Great Depression transformed families and launched political movements. In Pinched, author Don Peck tracks the decades-long impact of American downturns on culture, politics and psychology; and predicts how the most recent economic shock could alter the nation's psyche.

Dylan Dethier took a year off between high school and college for an unusual quest: He wanted to play a round of golf in each of the 48 contiguous states. His new book, 18 in America, chronicles that year, and he joins NPR's Scott Simon on the putt-putt course to talk about it.

Thomas Keneally's new novel, The Daughters of Mars, follows two Australian sisters who become nurses during World War I. Naomi and Sally Durance share a guilty secret, but they don't share any sisterly closeness — until the horrors of war begin to bind them together.

Iraq will have a new constitution by Monday's deadline. Several politicians involved in drafting the document say it may even be ready by Sunday. Will it be effective? A key question -- the role of Islam in government -- remains.

U.S. ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad outlines the process for a gradual withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. Meanwhile, the military announced the deaths of seven Marines killed Monday.

Despite an extended deadline, there is little visible progress toward a constitution for Iraq. While some involved say a resolution is near, others cite "profound" differences between competing groups.

The Syrian city of Hama has been a center of anti-government protests. It was recently the site of what activists are calling the Ramadan massacre, in which 100 protesters were reportedly killed. NPR's Kelly McEvers was part of a government-sponsored tour.