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Mr. Smithson Goes To Washington: The Life And Death Of The Man Who Changed D.C.

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A Smithsonian official holds James Smithson’s skull, when Smithson's body was exhumed in Genoa, Italy, and brought to the U.S. to be placed in a crypt in the Smithsonian castle in 1904-5.
Paul Dickson
A Smithsonian official holds James Smithson’s skull, when Smithson's body was exhumed in Genoa, Italy, and brought to the U.S. to be placed in a crypt in the Smithsonian castle in 1904-5.

James Smithson was a man dedicated to learning not just about science and the environment, but also about almost everything else. Smithson donated the money to create the Smithsonian Institution in the mid-19th century. It's one the stories told in a new edition of the book "On this Spot: Pinpointing the Past in Washington, D.C." Metro Connection host Rebecca Sheir recently met Paul Dickson, one of the authors of the book, to learn about the Englishman whose generosity changed D.C.

NPR

Dan Brown: 'Inferno' Is 'The Book That I Would Want To Read'

Dan Brown, author of the blockbuster The Da Vinci Code, is back with his first novel in four years. Inferno follows academic hero Robert Langdon on a chase through Italy as he attempts to avert a biological catastrophe.
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'Picture Cook': Drawings Are The Key Ingredients In These Recipes

Designer Katie Shelly's upcoming cookbook offers 50 illustrated recipe "blueprints" for basic meals — from simple snacks to more hefty dishes like eggplant Parmesan. She hopes they'll inspire any level of cook to improvise in the kitchen.
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Ken Cuccinelli Wins GOP Nomination For Virginia Governor

Virginia's attorney general Ken Cuccinelli will face former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe in November to become Virginia's 72nd governor.

NPR

Book News: Amazon May Be Called Before Parliament Over Taxes

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