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George Orwell's dystopian vision offers such devastating political commentary that it's rarely described as a suspense novel. But author and former CIA operative Barry Eisler says the book simply proves just how powerful a thriller with a message can be.

Writer Lev Grossman was raised on a strict diet of literary classics — until he discovered T.H. White's masterful retelling of the King Arthur tale. In The Once and Future King, what was once as stiff and two-dimensional as a medieval tapestry becomes rich and real and devastatingly sad.

Filmmaker Julia Reichert died Thursday at age 76. She chronicled the fortunes of working-class people, especially women, with powerful movies such as "American Factory" and "Union Maids."

The newest version of Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" raised a $1 million within a few minutes of its release on Tuesday. Critics say the song still sends the wrong message about Africa.

Author Tracy Daugherty's new biography of Joan Didion is an honest attempt to construct a coherent narrative about her — but critic Michael Schaub says it doesn't completely work.

Florida's state universities will start accepting an alternative to the SAT exam that's known for its Christian and conservative backing.

When author Lauren Groff found herself anxious and unable to work, she needed a book to get lost in. Elizabeth and Her German Garden, with its great, hidden depths, consoled her through her darkest time. Has a book ever gotten you out of a tough moment? Tell us about it in the comments.

Ariel Djanikian's debut novel, The Office of Mercy, imagines a dystopian future America where government euphemisms mask state-sponsored murder. Reviewer Michael Schaub finds traces of George Orwell in the book, which he calls "an indisputable page turner with a surprising ending."

London Mayor Boris Johnson, is a great believer in the idea of cycling to work, and since taking office, he's done a lot to encourage Londoners to take their commute on two wheels. NPR's new London correspondent, Philip Reeves, also likes the idea of riding his bicycle to work -- but is finds his fellow cyclists seem to take the whole thing far too seriously.

Her new collection, Stone Mattress, features characters still shaped by events in their youth. She's also working on a project that's all about the future: a book that won't be read for a century.