Terry Gross

Singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow performs three songs from her new album, Detours, plus a portion of a song from an early album that she persuaded the record company not to release.

The New York Times columnist has made his name with riffs on topics large (Boeing's comeback) and small (his own defunct iPod). A Pulitzer Prize finalist and the winner of several notable journalism awards, he's a regular contributor to NPR's Weekend Edition.

Journalist Ahmed Rashid's new book, Descent into Chaos, examines the Unites States' nation-building efforts in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Central Asia. Rashid argues that U.S. efforts have failed — and served to destabilize the region further.