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At the end of a year in which pop songs were a constant, provocative part of the national conversation, NPR Music critic Ann Powers sifts through the 100 most popular songs of the year to highlight 10 pure pop pleasures worth remembering.

Dig below the strata of pop songs so ubiquitous you can't stand to hear them anymore, and you'll find plenty of riches in the Top 40, from country crossover to innovative R&B and classic pop.

A host of beloved authors have new books hitting shelves this week, including a memoir by humorist Barry, a Mark Twain bio by Chernow and essays by Richard Russo.

Toni Morrison's 1987 work Beloved is the best American novel of the past quarter-century. That's according to a vote of writers and critics who were invited to weigh in with their choices by The New York Times Book Review.

For some insight into the fighter pilot culture, Linda talks with Captain Rosemary Mariner, a retired Navy Captain Aviator. She was trained to fly planes like the fighter that collided with the US reconnaissance plane. Mariner is now a Research Fellow for the University of Tennessee, Center for the Study for War and Society.

The cherry season is all too short, so make the most of it while you still can. While it's tempting to use cherries for desserts such as a trifle or clafoutis, they are equally suited to breakfast, appetizers and as accents in dinner dishes.

Host Liane Hansen speaks with Martin Cruz Smith. The author of Havana Bay and Gorky Park now has a new novel of international intrigue, called December 6 (Simon & Shuster, ISBN 0-684-87253-6), set on the brink of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December, 1941.

Christine Fox was recently named acting deputy defense secretary, making her the highest-ranking woman in Pentagon history. She talks with NPR's Rachel Martin about the Pentagon's budget challenges, her long career in defense and about inspiring Kelly McGillis' character in the movie Top Gun.

No. 6 Ohio State roared into the College Football Playoff semifinals with a 41-21 victory over No. 1 Oregon in the 111th Rose Bowl.

Lisa visits the Public Theater in New York for a rehearsal of Top Dog/Underdog a new play by Suzan-Lori Parks. The play features two guys named Lincoln and Booth who live in a claustrophobic New York apartment. It's directed by George C. Wolfe, and stars Jeffrey Wright and Don Cheadle.