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Slate senior writer Timothy Noah explains the legal and historical significance of the "faithless elector" -- a member of the Electoral College who refuses to cast a vote for the presidential candidate who won their state. This week, one such elector in Minnesota cast a vote for Sen. John Edwards instead of Democratic nominee Sen. John Kerry.

In his Portsmouth Point Overture, English composer William Walton captures the colorful, bawdy sights and sounds of an 1811 Thomas Rowlandson painting of the same name. Joann Falletta conducts the Juilliard Symphony at New York's Lincoln Center.

In Brussels, European leaders reach an agreement to begin talks next year that could eventually allow Turkey to join the E.U. Western leaders insist that Turkey move toward normalizing relations with the island of Cyprus. Turkish troops have occupied the northern part of the island for decades. Hear NPR's Steve Inskeep and NPR's Ivan Watson.

Dutch-born painter Willem de Kooning is remembered as the first modern art star. The story of his life and influence on 20th century American art is told in the book De Kooning: An American Master. Liane Hansen talks with the authors.

The Security Council temporarily moves to Kenya to deliberate on possible solutions to the 21-year-long civil war in Sudan. An estimated 2 million people have died since the war began in 1983. The council will also discuss the continuing crisis in the Darfur region. Hear NPR's Jason Beaubien.

Day to Day television critic Andrew Wallenstein comments on Thursday night's "Chrismukkah" episode of the Fox prime-time soap opera The OC. He says that combining the holidays of Christmas and Hanukkah -- even on a television show -- misleads people about the nature of the Jewish holiday.

Shoring up Social Security for the wave of retiring baby boomers is a top priority at President Bush's economic summit taking place at the White House.

NPR's Alex Chadwick talks with National Geographic photographer Chris Rainier -- once a student of the famed Ansel Adams -- about his latest collection of photographs, Ancient Marks. Rainier travelled across the globe documenting a wide variety of cultures that apply tattoos and other markings to their bodies.

NPR's Karen Grigsby Bates examines Muhammad: The Last Prophet, a new animated film depicting the life of the prophet Muhammad. She speaks with Mark Pinsky, who writes about religion in popular culture, about how the film's vision of Islam could affect Muslim and non-Muslim audiences.

Five obscure female fiction novelists and the nonfiction 9/11 Commission Report are among the unconventional nominees for this year's National Book Awards. The panel is mum until they give the awards out on Nov. 17, but book critics and publishing industry watchers have their predictions. NPR's Lynn Neary reports.