A Country Music Newcomer and an Established Star Keep the Genre Honest

Writer Alexs Pate's first novel is called "Losing Absalom." It's a fictionalized tribute to his father that chronicles end of the title character's life as his family has gathered around his hospital bed. Writer John Willimas wrote, "Losing Absalom is a powerful yet sensitive embrace with black America today." Pate grew up in North Philadelphia and lives in Minneapolis.

Fred Waitzkin has written two books about chess. His first, "Searching For Bobby Fischer," is about his young son Josh's gift for the game. The book was made into a movie of the same name. Waitzkin's latest book is called "Mortal Games." It's a portrait of the world chess champion Garry Kasparov as he prepared, in 1990, to defend his title against sworn enemy Anatoly Karpov.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews Keith Jarrett's new album, "At the Deer Head Inn." Jarrett, on piano, teams up with bassist Gary Peacock and drummer Paul Motian.