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On the surface, certain academic pursuits may seem trivial, but sometimes odd courses can be instructive and illuminating.

This week brings four novels about love: childhood love in immigrant Brooklyn; married love in dot-com San Francisco; intergenerational love and tension in Philadelphia; and an academic father's sometimes obtuse love for his three daughters. In nonfiction, football star Michael Oher describes his experiences in foster care.

Sometimes, you want to leave the world behind and escape into a book — but if you're in the mood for a good disaster story, we've got a selection of summer reads that are just the right kind of grim.

Meanwhile, Germany's foreign minister was trying to jumpstart talks between the central government in Kiev and pro-Russian militants in the east.

From the inescapable "Call Me Maybe" to Fiona Apple's intricate word puzzles to the strikingly gorgeous return of Iris DeMent, the Fresh Air critic counts down his favorite albums and musical moments of the year.

Fresh Air rock critic Ken Tucker offers his picks for the best music of the year, including Fiona Apple's latest album and a Bob Dylan DVD. He also addresses the topic of women in music, and he talks about the year in hip-hop. Tucker is the film critic for New York magazine.

Across ambient, jazz, psychedelic and American Primitive styles, this year proved that the possibilities of the guitar continue to flourish.

The All Songs Considered and Tiny Desk host shares his favorite recordings of the year.

NPR Music's pop critic, Ann Powers, says each of her favorite albums of 2014 gave her new tools to cope with and learn from the world around her, even as that world crashed in from outside.

All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen shares his list of the 10 best albums of 2014 (and a few honorable mentions).