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Book critic Maureen Corrigan considers the new trend in "pink" books -- books by women featuring strong but girly heroines.

The U.S. imports more oil from Latin America than from all Middle Eastern countries combined. Oil wealth has long generated dreams of prosperity, but in the lands of production, the reserves have often brought political and economic instability. In the first of a three-part series, Sandy Tolan looks at what went wrong with Venezuela's oil dream.

The Polyphonic Spree consider themselves a symphonic rock band, and play upbeat songs of happiness and celebration. But in their uniform white robes, the 23 members of the band look more like a religious cult. NPR's Bob Boilen profiles the band — hear a cut from their debut album, featured in All Songs Considered.

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Rob Bourdaud'hui, a British-born U.S. resident and former disc jockey, about what he's listening to this summer. Listen to clips of his ideas.

Songwriter Gillian Welch describes her music. Welch's duet with Alison Krauss was a highlight of the Grammy award-winning soundtrack to the movie O Brother, Where Art Thou.

Bernie Barker, a retired nuclear engineer, was 60 when he launched his new career: dancing for women. Guinness World Records has since recognized him as the oldest male stripper. Hear his story on Morning Edition.

The New York Subway system is designed to move millions of people quickly and efficiently. But on any given Friday afternoon, trombonist Alex Lo Dico and his jazz band can bring commuters to a complete halt. The subways have been Lo Dico's stage for two decades now, and his philosophy is "swing 'til you drop." NPR's Robert Smith has the first in a summer series of street musician profiles.

He responds to concerns about conflict of interest in awarding military contracts to private companies. Pawlik explains how the Army Corps of Engineers gave contracts to put out oil fires in Iraq to Kellogg Brown and Root (KBR), a subsidiary of Halliburton. Vice President Dick Cheney, a former Secretary of Defense, was the CEO of Halliburton before he became vice president.

In America, it is possible to work full time but not make a living. NPR's Noah Adams begins a year-long special assignment, traveling the nation to profile America's low-income workforce. In this segment, Adams profiles Sandy Hicks, a housekeeper at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Mike Watchmaker of the Daily Racing Form ahead of Saturday's Belmont Stakes. They discuss whether Funny Cide will win and clinch horse racing's Triple Crown.