Mario Puzo isn't known for his strong female characters — but if you've read his pre-Godfather work, The Fortunate Pilgrim, you might think otherwise. Author Zoe Ferraris recommends this book, which is based on Puzo's own mother. Do you have a favorite literary matriarch? Tell us in the comments.

In tough economic times, people almost never cut out comfort foods like chocolate. But sometimes, when you just can't get the foods you love, deprivation can lead to a new food invention, like Estonia's faux chocolate bar, the Kama bar.

You might not recognize the name Randall Poster, but you're likely familiar with his work. Poster picks out and licenses music used in commercials, TV and film. He's worked closely with director Wes Anderson on films like Rushmore and Moonrise Kingdom.

Parents should be paying very close attention to the digital media their children are using, says child advocate James Steyer. "Young people in particular often self-reveal before they self-reflect," he says. "There is no eraser button today for youthful indiscretion."

The journalist turns to fiction to tell Pakistan's hardest truths. His first novel, A Case of Exploding Mangoes, investigated the death of dictator Zia-ul-Haq; and his latest, Our Lady of Alice Bhatti, looks at the fate of women and minorities in the country.

Have you thought about switching to barefoot running? New York Times exercise columnist Gretchen Reynolds did — and promptly injured herself. She details what she did wrong — and how to keep your own feet healthy — in her new book, The First 20 Minutes.

Heavy metal and sawdust art.

For years, the Tea Party has held individualism up as the great American value. But columnist E.J. Dionne Jr. says that Americans historically have prized communitarianism just as much. In Our Divided Political Heart, Dionne argues that America is at its best when it balances the two.