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This is what the news should sound like. The biggest stories of our time, told by the best journalists in the world. Hosted by Michael Barbaro, Rachel Abrams and Natalie Kitroeff. Twenty minutes a day, six days a week, ready by 6 a.m. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts an...

Episodes 545
Books 195

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Latest Recommendations

The Song of Achilles cover

The Song of Achilles

Madeline Miller

Mentioned 1 week ago

What’s Epic About the ‘Odyssey’? Everything.

The novelSong of Achilleswas mentioned alongsideCirceto establish Miller's credentials as a bestselling author of modern Greekmyth retellings.

Emily Wilson, who translated The Odyssey and is the very first woman to do so, and Madeline Miller, author of Circe and Song of Achilles, two bestselling novels inspired by Homer's poems.

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Circe cover

Circe

Madeline Miller

Mentioned 1 week ago

What’s Epic About the ‘Odyssey’? Everything.

Madeline Miller's novelCircewas highlighted as her personal favorite and praised for giving voice to the witchgoddess from the Odyssey.

You've written a number of brilliant books and short stories, including Circe, my personal favorite, which is about one of the goddesses that Odysseus encounters on his way home.

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Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World cover

Paved Paradise

Henry Grabar

Mentioned 2 weeks ago

The Most American Episode of The Daily, Ever.

The nonfiction book was highlighted as the most American book because it links parking to broader questions of urban planning and resource allocation, and it helped the speaker understand the country in a new way.

The most American nonfiction book is Paved Paradise, How Parking Explains the World by Henry Grabar. Grabar makes the argument that a lot of questions about how to allocate resources and cities, questions of building affordable housing, all of these really urgent issues are actually tied to the American fixation not just on cars but on parking those cars. It really made me understand the country in a new way.

Buy on Amazon
The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois: An Oprah's Book Club Pick cover

The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois

Honoree Fanonne Jeffers

Mentioned 2 weeks ago

The Most American Episode of The Daily, Ever.

The book was chosen as the most American work after the Century Cycle, praised for weaving together personal and ancestral narratives that illuminate American history and identity.

But then I chose the book, The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois by Honore Fanonne Jeffers.

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Joe Turner's Come and Gone (August Wilson's Century Cycle, 2) cover

Joe Turner's Come and Gone (August Wilson's Century Cycle, 2)

August Wilson

Mentioned 2 weeks ago

The Most American Episode of The Daily, Ever.

The tenplay collection was cited as a contender for the most American work, with each play set in a different decade of the 20th century, portraying AfricanAmerican experiences across a century.

I actually came up with ten plays. That would be August Wilson's Century Cycle.

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Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump cover

Regime Change

Maggie Haberman

Mentioned 3 weeks ago

Robby Hoffman Will Always Feel Poor, No Matter How Rich She Gets

The book was advertised as an explosive inside account of power, conflict, and decisions reshaping America during Donald Trump's White House.

This podcast is supported by Simon and Schuster. What's really happening inside Donald Trump's White House? In regime change, Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan deliver the explosive inside account of power, conflict, and decisions reshaping America. Regime change, wherever books are sold.

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PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY IN CLINICAL PRACTICE: Prescribing, Monitoring & Deprescribing cover

PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY IN CLINICAL PRACTICE

LAVINIA JUNIOR JACOBSON

Mentioned 4 weeks ago

R.F.K. Jr.’s Newest Mission: Getting Us Off Antidepressants

The hosts noted that a new deprescribing handbook was available for sale at the conference exhibition hall, indicating its relevance to the discussion on tapering off psychiatric medications.

There was a new deprescribing handbook, and it was selling a lot downstairs in the exhibition hall.

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In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man: A Memoir cover

In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man

Tom Junod

Mentioned 1 month ago

Can a Bad Man Be a Good Father?

The book was presented as Tom Junod's new work, blending memoir and detective storytelling to explore fatherhood and the legacy a father leaves behind.

In the Days of My Youth, I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man. And it's a powerful meditation on what we need from a father, what we inherit from a father, and how we somehow make peace with the gap in between those.

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The Road cover

The Road

Cormac McCarthy

Mentioned 1 month ago

A Gen Z Revolution at the Movies

The host noted that Ryan Holiday nominated the novel as one of his top books of the 21st century, praising it for capturing both the beauty and horror of parenthood.

I talked to the author Ryan Holiday about why he nominated Cormac McCarthy's The Road as one of his top books of the 21st century.

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The Rational Bible: Genesis cover

The Rational Bible

Dennis Prager

Mentioned 1 month ago

Do Aliens Exist? Steven Spielberg Believes They Do

The biblical book was cited when discussing concepts of creation and humanity's place in the universe.

Because Genesis says that we're his supreme creation, but do you think it's possible that...

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The War of the Worlds: The Original Unabridged and Complete Edition ( H. G. Wells Classics) cover

The War of the Worlds

H. G. Wells

Mentioned 1 month ago

Do Aliens Exist? Steven Spielberg Believes They Do

Spielberg referenced the novel as a thematic influence for his film, noting that it was quoted in the movie.

It's very much part of War of the Worlds, H.E. Wells' book that you quote from for your film.

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Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief cover

Going Clear

Lawrence Wright

Mentioned 1 month ago

Seth Rogen Is 44, Often Stoned and on a Roll

The host mentioned reading Going Clear, noting that a single sentence from the book about Scientology abruptly shifted his perspective on how famous people interpret treatment and status.

I read that Going Clear book. Every once in a while, you know, like you read like one sentence and it like snaps your whole perspective into place a little bit. And I remember reading that book about Scientology and there was just one sentence in it about how famous people tend to do a thing where if they aren't treated in a certain way, it makes them think they're not as talented as they wish they were.

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Most Recommended

The Overstory: A Novel Cover

Richard Powers

The Overstory

A Novel

He highlighted the book as a recent read about trees and humanity's relationship to them, saying it changed his perspective on the earth and marked the book as worth reading.

"

the over story by richard powers it's about trees and the relationship of humans to trees and it's not something i would have immediately thought of but a friend gave it to me and i started reading it...

— Episode: Bonus: Ezra Klein Talks to Obama About H...

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Episode: Bonus: Ezra Klein Talks to Obama About How America...

He highlighted the book as a recent read about trees and humanity's relationship to them, saying it changed his perspective on the earth and marked the book as worth reading.

"

the over story by richard powers it's about trees and the relationship of humans to trees and it's not something i would have immediately thought of but a friend gave it to me and i started reading it and it changed how i thought about the earth and it changed how i see things in and that's always for me a mark of a book worth reading.

The Song of Achilles Cover

Madeline Miller

The Song of Achilles

The novelSong of Achilleswas mentioned alongsideCirceto establish Miller's credentials as a bestselling author of modern Greekmyth retellings.

"

Emily Wilson, who translated The Odyssey and is the very first woman to do so, and Madeline Miller, author of Circe and Song of Achilles, two bestselling novels inspired by Homer's poems.

— Episode: What’s Epic About the ‘Odyssey’? Everyth...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: What’s Epic About the ‘Odyssey’? Everything.

The novelSong of Achilleswas mentioned alongsideCirceto establish Miller's credentials as a bestselling author of modern Greekmyth retellings.

"

Emily Wilson, who translated The Odyssey and is the very first woman to do so, and Madeline Miller, author of Circe and Song of Achilles, two bestselling novels inspired by Homer's poems.

The Firm: A Novel (The Firm Series) Cover

John Grisham

The Firm

A Novel (The Firm Series)

The narrator recalled that Kelly first heard about the Caribbean hideaway from Grisham's thriller, indicating the book influenced his early travel aspirations.

"

He'd first heard about the Caribbean hideaway in John Grisham's best-selling thriller, The Firm.

— Episode: The Sunday Read: ‘The Man Who Turned Cre...

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Episode: The Sunday Read: ‘The Man Who Turned Credit Card P...

The narrator recalled that Kelly first heard about the Caribbean hideaway from Grisham's thriller, indicating the book influenced his early travel aspirations.

"

He'd first heard about the Caribbean hideaway in John Grisham's best-selling thriller, The Firm.

If Beale Street Could Talk Cover

Baldwin

If Beale Street Could Talk

The film's vinyl soft crackle was referenced, pointing to the underlying novel.

"

Or maybe the vinyl soft crackle of If Beale Street Could Talk, 2018.

— Episode: The Sunday Read: ‘The Composer at the Fr...

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Episode: The Sunday Read: ‘The Composer at the Frontier of...

The film's vinyl soft crackle was referenced, pointing to the underlying novel.

"

Or maybe the vinyl soft crackle of If Beale Street Could Talk, 2018.

Beloved (Everyman's Library) Cover

Toni Morrison

Beloved (Everyman's Library)

The book was cited during discussion of a Virginia bill that would let parents block material they deemed sexually explicit, with the bill being nicknamed the "Beloved" bill because the novel was among the challenged works.

"

And in fact you vetoed the bill that would have allowed parents to opt out of letting their children study material that the parents felt was sexually explicit. And the dispute was prompted by a mothe...

— Episode: Why Are All Eyes on the Virginia Governo...

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Episode: Why Are All Eyes on the Virginia Governor’s Race?

The book was cited during discussion of a Virginia bill that would let parents block material they deemed sexually explicit, with the bill being nicknamed the "Beloved" bill because the novel was among the challenged works.

"

And in fact you vetoed the bill that would have allowed parents to opt out of letting their children study material that the parents felt was sexually explicit. And the dispute was prompted by a mother who objected to her son, who is a high school senior, reading things that were really part of the canon, literary canon, including Toni Morrison's Beloved. It became as the Beloved bill.

Atlas Shrugged (Centennial Ed.) Cover

Ayn Rand

Atlas Shrugged (Centennial Ed.)

Saunders recalled reading Atlas Shrugged in high school, noting it convinced him that selfishness made him feel special.

"

And at that point, just I got caught up on you're special. That was enough, you know? So I think I started kind of just using it as the one way in that environment I could feel special.

— Episode: 'The Interview': George Saunders Says Di...

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Episode: 'The Interview': George Saunders Says Ditching The...

Saunders recalled reading Atlas Shrugged in high school, noting it convinced him that selfishness made him feel special.

"

And at that point, just I got caught up on you're special. That was enough, you know? So I think I started kind of just using it as the one way in that environment I could feel special.

Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day Cover

Jay Shetty

Think Like a Monk

Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day

The book was highlighted as one of Shetty's bestseller titles and was referenced as the work that connects his monastic training to his wellness advice.

"

His books, Think Like a Monk and Eight Rules of Love, were both bestsellers.

— Episode: 'The Interview': Wellness Guru Jay Shett...

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Episode: 'The Interview': Wellness Guru Jay Shetty Has Rais...

The book was highlighted as one of Shetty's bestseller titles and was referenced as the work that connects his monastic training to his wellness advice.

"

His books, Think Like a Monk and Eight Rules of Love, were both bestsellers.

Your book, of course, was called Think Like a Monk.

The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor--the Truth and the Turmoil Cover

Tina Brown

The Palace Papers

Inside the House of Windsor--the Truth and the Turmoil

Tina Brown discussed information she included in this book regarding Ghislaine Maxwell's social omnipresence and her difficult relationship with her father. She also mentioned the book detailed how peripheral royals can pose a problem for the monarchy due to their susceptibility to unsavory entanglements.

"

In your book, The Palace Papers, you described her as omnipresent in the social scene.

— Episode: 'The Interview': Tina Brown on Epstein,...

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Episode: 'The Interview': Tina Brown on Epstein, the Über-R...

Tina Brown discussed information she included in this book regarding Ghislaine Maxwell's social omnipresence and her difficult relationship with her father. She also mentioned the book detailed how peripheral royals can pose a problem for the monarchy due to their susceptibility to unsavory entanglements.

"

In your book, The Palace Papers, you described her as omnipresent in the social scene.

And so you've seen sort of iterations of this throughout the history of the royal family. You know, it's pretty well understood that when William becomes king, he wants to sort of sweep house and make a lot of changes.

Lust for Life Cover

Irving Stone

Lust for Life

Irving Stone's bestselling novel "Lust for Life" was referenced as having been published seven years after the 1927 English edition of Van Gogh's letters.

"

Irving Stone published his best-selling novel Lust for Life based heavily on the letters about the relationship between the Van Gogh brothers.

— Episode: The Sunday Read: ‘The Woman Who Made van...

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Episode: The Sunday Read: ‘The Woman Who Made van Gogh’

Irving Stone's bestselling novel "Lust for Life" was referenced as having been published seven years after the 1927 English edition of Van Gogh's letters.

"

Irving Stone published his best-selling novel Lust for Life based heavily on the letters about the relationship between the Van Gogh brothers.

Lonesome Dove: A Novel (Lonesome Dove, 3) Cover

Larry McMurtry

Lonesome Dove

A Novel (Lonesome Dove, 3)

The transcript noted that the miniseries featuring Augustus McRae was based on the LarryMcMurtry novel LonesomeDove.

"

It was as Augustus McRae, a Texas Ranger in Lonesome Dove, a miniseries based on a Larry McMurtry novel.

— Episode: After Venezuela, Is Cuba Next?

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Episode: After Venezuela, Is Cuba Next?

The transcript noted that the miniseries featuring Augustus McRae was based on the LarryMcMurtry novel LonesomeDove.

"

It was as Augustus McRae, a Texas Ranger in Lonesome Dove, a miniseries based on a Larry McMurtry novel.

The Joy Luck Club: A Novel (Penguin Drop Caps) Cover

Amy Tan

The Joy Luck Club

A Novel (Penguin Drop Caps)

He recalled that the thick paperback of The Joy Luck Club was on everyone's bookshelves during his 90s childhood.

"

Her thick paperbacks, The Joy Luck Club and the Kitchen Gods wife were on everyone's bookshelves.

— Episode: The Sunday Read: 'The Many Lives of Stev...

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Episode: The Sunday Read: 'The Many Lives of Steven Yeun'

He recalled that the thick paperback of The Joy Luck Club was on everyone's bookshelves during his 90s childhood.

"

Her thick paperbacks, The Joy Luck Club and the Kitchen Gods wife were on everyone's bookshelves.

Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World Cover

Henry Grabar

Paved Paradise

How Parking Explains the World

The nonfiction book was highlighted as the most American book because it links parking to broader questions of urban planning and resource allocation, and it helped the speaker understand the country in a new way.

"

The most American nonfiction book is Paved Paradise, How Parking Explains the World by Henry Grabar. Grabar makes the argument that a lot of questions about how to allocate resources...

— Episode: The Most American Episode of The Daily,...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: The Most American Episode of The Daily, Ever.

The nonfiction book was highlighted as the most American book because it links parking to broader questions of urban planning and resource allocation, and it helped the speaker understand the country in a new way.

"

The most American nonfiction book is Paved Paradise, How Parking Explains the World by Henry Grabar. Grabar makes the argument that a lot of questions about how to allocate resources and cities, questions of building affordable housing, all of these really urgent issues are actually tied to the American fixation not just on cars but on parking those cars. It really made me understand the country in a new way.

The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals Cover

Michael Pollan

The Omnivore's Dilemma

A Natural History of Four Meals

This classic book by Michael Pollan explored the reasons behind the modern way people eat. It was mentioned as one of Pollan's established works that preceded his deep dive into consciousness.

"

Throughout his work, which includes classic books like The Omnivore's Dilemma, about why we eat the way we do, and How to Change Your Mind, about the science and use of psychedelic dr...

— Episode: 'The Interview': Michael Pollan Says Hum...

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Episode: 'The Interview': Michael Pollan Says Humanity Is A...

This classic book by Michael Pollan explored the reasons behind the modern way people eat. It was mentioned as one of Pollan's established works that preceded his deep dive into consciousness.

"

Throughout his work, which includes classic books like The Omnivore's Dilemma, about why we eat the way we do, and How to Change Your Mind, about the science and use of psychedelic drugs, Pollan has waded into questions about the inner workings of the mind.

A Sand County almanac,: And Sketches here and there; Cover

Aldo Leopold

A Sand County almanac,

And Sketches here and there;

This book was considered the most influential conservation and environmental text, written in a way that resonated with hunters and introduced the idea of the hunter-conservationist.

"

one of my peers that goes into wildlife management, like, introduced me, for instance, to Aldo Leopold's, A Sand County almanac, which is probably... Not probably. Which is the most i...

— Episode: Eating What You Kill This Thanksgiving

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Episode: Eating What You Kill This Thanksgiving

This book was considered the most influential conservation and environmental text, written in a way that resonated with hunters and introduced the idea of the hunter-conservationist.

"

one of my peers that goes into wildlife management, like, introduced me, for instance, to Aldo Leopold's, A Sand County almanac, which is probably... Not probably. Which is the most influential conservation environmental text.

Why it's the most influential is because it was written for rednecks like what we were.

The Vanity Fair Diaries: 1983-1992 Cover

Tina Brown

The Vanity Fair Diaries

1983-1992

The book was mentioned as a source of nostalgia for the era when Tina Brown was editor of Vanity Fair, with listeners often expressing how nostalgic they felt reading it.

"

You know, my book, The Vanity Fair Diaries, which I wrote, you know, seven or eight years ago, people just keep coming up to me and saying, oh, I've been reading it. It's like the, yo...

— Episode: 'The Interview': Tina Brown on Epstein,...

Listen on Audible 7-day free trial

Episode: 'The Interview': Tina Brown on Epstein, the Über-R...

The book was mentioned as a source of nostalgia for the era when Tina Brown was editor of Vanity Fair, with listeners often expressing how nostalgic they felt reading it.

"

You know, my book, The Vanity Fair Diaries, which I wrote, you know, seven or eight years ago, people just keep coming up to me and saying, oh, I've been reading it. It's like the, you know, I feel so nostalgic for that period.

King George: What Was His Problem?: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About the American Revolution Cover

Steve Sheinkin

King George

What Was His Problem?

There was a book that accompanied Ken Burns' documentary on the American Revolution, and it was reviewed at The New York Times Book Review.

"

I think there's a book that goes with the documentary. There is. We just reviewed it at the book review. That's right. So there's like a book that goes with the documentary.

— Episode: Sunday Special: A Sea of Streaming Docs

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Episode: Sunday Special: A Sea of Streaming Docs

There was a book that accompanied Ken Burns' documentary on the American Revolution, and it was reviewed at The New York Times Book Review.

"

I think there's a book that goes with the documentary. There is. We just reviewed it at the book review. That's right. So there's like a book that goes with the documentary.

Dispatches Cover

Michael Herr

Dispatches

Saunders mentioned his friend Michael Herr, the author of the book Dispatches.

"

I had a friend, the writer Michael Herr, who wrote the... Dispatches.

— Episode: 'The Interview': George Saunders Says Di...

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Episode: 'The Interview': George Saunders Says Ditching The...

Saunders mentioned his friend Michael Herr, the author of the book Dispatches.

"

I had a friend, the writer Michael Herr, who wrote the... Dispatches.

Fifty Shades Darker 10th Anniversary Edition (Fifty Shades of Grey Series, 2) Cover

E L James

Fifty Shades Darker 10th Anniversary Edition (Fifty Shades of Grey Series, 2)

The host recalled the husband describing the AI chats as being "like 50 shades of gray," referencing the wellknown novel.

"

He responded with a cringe emoji and was like, cringe, it's like 50 shades of gray.

— Episode: She Fell in Love With ChatGPT: An Update

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Episode: She Fell in Love With ChatGPT: An Update

The host recalled the husband describing the AI chats as being "like 50 shades of gray," referencing the wellknown novel.

"

He responded with a cringe emoji and was like, cringe, it's like 50 shades of gray.

The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet Cover

John Green

The Anthropocene Reviewed

Essays on a Human-Centered Planet

This nonfiction book featured short essays where the author reviewed various things in the world and assigned them a star rating. The book included a review of the internet, which received three out of five stars.

"

But in the nonfiction book that you published before everything is tuberculosis, The Anthropocene Reviewed.

— Episode: 'The Interview': John Green Knows That N...

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Episode: 'The Interview': John Green Knows That No One Real...

This nonfiction book featured short essays where the author reviewed various things in the world and assigned them a star rating. The book included a review of the internet, which received three out of five stars.

"

But in the nonfiction book that you published before everything is tuberculosis, The Anthropocene Reviewed.

The book consists of short essays where you review all sorts of things in the world and then at the end give them a star rating.

Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream Cover

H. G. Bissinger

Friday Night Lights

A Town, A Team, And A Dream

The book was described as being written about the highschool football team in Odessa, Texas in the late 1980s and served as the main topic of the episode.

"

Friday Night Lights was written about a high school football team in Odessa, Texas in the late 80s.

— Episode: Odessa, Part 2: Friday Night Lights

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Episode: Odessa, Part 2: Friday Night Lights

The book was described as being written about the highschool football team in Odessa, Texas in the late 1980s and served as the main topic of the episode.

"

Friday Night Lights was written about a high school football team in Odessa, Texas in the late 80s.

As our main topic tonight is Friday Night Lights.

this was the same stadium Friday Night Lights was filmed in where that night the Odessa High Broncos would play the Midland Bulldogs

Note: The book recommendations on this page are discovered automatically from podcast transcripts, and may be incorrect or incomplete.