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Novelist Colum McCann decided to write about the ties that bind his homeland, Ireland, with the United States, where he now lives. But he wanted to stay far away from cliches about being Irish-American. The result? His new novel, featuring historical figures searching for freedom, adventure and peace.

Maggie O'Farrell's new novel, Instructions for a Heatwave, follows a troubled Irish Catholic family in London over the course of four scorching July days in 1976. Reviewer Heller McAlpin says Heatwave is a beautiful book about "the importance of forgiving those you love."

Robert Caro's fourth book on the life of Lyndon B. Johnson documents the master statesman's most tumultuous years — from his dismal vice presidency to his ascent to the presidency and triumphant shepherding of the 1964 Civil Rights Act through Congress.

Travel Light is an unjustly forgotten fairy tale about a wandering princess who goes from bears and dragons to the real world of medieval Constantinople — and back again. Writer Amal El-Mohtar says she encountered the book as an adult and "felt, very powerfully, that I had been waiting for it."

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Correspondent Philip Reeves completes his journey along the Indian stretch of the Grand Trunk Road. On the way, he goes to Amritsar and visits the Golden Temple, the holiest shrine of the Sikh religion. And then it's on to Wagah, the border with Pakistan. NPR's series continues on the road in Pakistan.

President Biden called off meetings in Jordan after an explosion at a busy hospital killed hundreds of people. President Mahmoud Abbas declared days of mourning for the victims.

NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks to Iran expert Mehrzad Boroujerdi about the relationship between Israel and Iran.

A teenage girl in a burqa steps out and takes the microphone. She launches into a tirade about the lack of girl's education in her home town of Gwadar on the Arabian Sea. In Pakistan, it's unusual for a young girl speak out. It's very rare for her to do so in front of Pakistan's most powerful man, the chief of the armed forces. The general came to Gwadar to listen to people debate a multi-billion plan to make the port a centerpiece of a new "silk road" trading route to China.

Eight days of Israeli missile strikes on Gaza killed a lot of children — and terrified many more. Yet in this war zone, the task of healing psychological wounds is handled a little differently. The children of Small Hands Kindergarten are barely more than toddlers. Led by their teachers to a public square, they wave toy guns at imaginary Israeli jets overhead and stomp on a poster bearing the Star of David. Yet this kindergarten isn't run by Hamas — it's run by supporters of Fatah. These young children are part of a chorus of voices calling for an end to the two rival factions who rule Gaza and the West Bank respectively.