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City planner Jeff Speck says walking will remain a choice in most American cities for years to come, but that it's important to incentivize pedestrians. In his book, Walkable City, Speck says urban walks have to be useful, safe, comfortable and interesting.

The award-winning playwright and screenwriter is best known for such works as Arcadia and Shakespeare in Love. He speaks with NPR's Scott Simon about the screenplay for Joe Wright's adaptation of Anna Karenina.

Overnight, Israel stepped up its air assault against rocket launches from Gaza. Friday, Palestinians showed for the first time they could send a weapon into Jerusalem, and Israel is threatening a ground invasion. Host Scott Simon talks with NPR's Anthony Kuhn about the continuing airstrikes in Gaza.

Post-election pomp and circumstance seem to be in our national DNA, but there have been some low-key inaugurals, including during the Great Depression and World War II. With a looming fiscal cliff, is this the time for a simple swearing-in ceremony on Jan. 21, rather than another megamillion-dollar blowout?

Host Scott Simon speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tim Weiner, who wrote two books on the security services, about the FBI's role in the investigation into generals David Petraeus and John Allen. Weiner says the one possible crime is the conduct of an FBI agent who brought information to Congress.

Andrew Solomon's new book is about families with children who are profoundly different or likely to be stigmatized. Writer Tony Dokoupil discusses what's next now that voters in two states have approved recreational marijuana use.

The conflict between Israel and the Gaza Strip continues to escalate after Israeli airstrikes flattened key targets in Gaza and Palestinian rockets threatened deeper into Israel than ever before.

Barbara Boxer was elected to the Senate in the "Year of the Woman," 1992, after serving 10 years in the House. As Congress enters a landmark term with more women than ever, she says there's still a long way to go before there are as many of them as men on the floor. But wait a minute, Boxer says, let's put that in perspective.

Electric automaker Tesla's new Model S has received a lot of praise from the automotive press for breaking the stigma on electric cars. The challenge for the young, Silicon Valley company is to see if it can get non-car enthusiasts to get behind the wheel.

Republican governors met last week in Las Vegas to talk about the results of the U.S. election and the path ahead for their party. Many of the governors are standing by their positions on major issues, however, saying the main thing they need to change is their tone.