A broken sidewalk became a goldfish pond — and help heal divisions between neighbors A leaky fire hydrant in a hole in the sidewalk becomes a community gathering place when a few neighbors turn the eyesore into a goldfish pond. Rosemary Misdary
A massive baby penguin named Pesto is inhaling fish and winning fans Pesto, who weighs 46 pounds at just nine months old, has been on display at an Australian aquarium since April. As he grew, so did his social media fanbase — especially after a recent gender reveal. Rachel Treisman
'The Penguin' is a darkly engrossing entry into the Batman cannon With no costumes, no superpowers and no Batman, HBO's The Penguin is less like a comic book series than a crime drama — closer to The Sopranos than to the Batman movie from which it came. David Bianculli
Remembering Dan Morgenstern, a revered jazz historian, archivist and critic Morgenstern, who died Sept. 7, directed the Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies for 35 years, building a one-of-a-kind collection of recordings, memorabilia and writings. Originally broadcast in 2004. Terry Gross
'Bad Monkey' novelist Carl Hiaasen says Key West has 'laws all its own' Hiaasen has spent his life skewering and defending his native Florida. His novel, Bad Monkey, has been adapted into an Apple TV+ mystery series starring Vince Vaughn. Originally broadcast in 2013. Dave Davies
A light-hearted murder mystery weekend turns deadly in Kate Atkinson's cozy thriller Death at the Sign of the Rook is an expansive novel that pokes fun of baroque, classic murder mysteries — but also delivers a fully satisfying, all-the-pieces-click-together ending. John Powers
Turkey wants to regulate Germany's beloved döner kebab street food Under Turkey's proposal, beef would be required to come from cattle that is at least 16 months old, and be marinated with specific amounts of fat, yogurt or milk, onion, salt, thyme, and pepper. The Associated Press
'Times' reporter Haberman weighs in on Trump, the media and the turbulent election Maggie Haberman, who's spent years covering Trump, discusses his behavior on the campaign trail, including his insistence on responding to every slight — even when it undermines his appeal to voters. Dave Davies
'Entitlement' disappoints — 'Leave the World Behind' was a tough act to follow Rumaan Alam’s previous novel was an inspired swirl of suspense, social commentary and apocalyptic disaster. His latest is about a young Black woman working for a uber-rich white socialite. Maureen Corrigan
A viral nine-month world cruise saw plenty of drama, but not the kind you'd expect The "Ultimate World Cruise" consumed social media, with many comparing it to a reality show. But what was it really like? Passengers spoke with NPR, nine months and 60-plus countries later. Rachel Treisman
