While driving down an East Texas country road I spotted this scene. The autumn trees and the late afternoon sun made these golden bales of hay shine just a little bit more. Fortunately I had my camera with me. (c) James Q. Eddy Jr.

The Four States NPR News Source 2025 Kansas Association of Broadcasters Award Winner 2nd Place for Website in a Medium Market

Donate

Play Live Radio

Next Up:

0:00

0:00 0:00

Available On Air Stations

Hear KRPS Weekday Morning & Evening Newscasts in the NPR App

Looking for more fiction books to read? NPR's Books We Love has suggestions

By Ivy Buck,

Denise Couture, Justine Kenin, Emiko Tamagawa, Kalyani Saxena

Published December 27, 2025 at 6:42 AM CST

Readers are always looking for new books and, don't you know, NPR's Books We Love has tons of suggestions! We hear staff picks for great novels to check out from 2025.

Ivy Buck

Ivy Buck is the newest Petra Mayer Memorial Fellow. She works in the Arts and Culture Hub with the NPR Books team, helping to produce the Book of the Day podcast and Books We Love, two projects founded by Mayer during her remarkable two-decade career at NPR.

Denise Couture

Justine Kenin

Justine Kenin is an editor on All Things Considered. She joined NPR in 1999 as an intern. Nothing makes her happier than getting a book in the right reader's hands – most especially her own.

Emiko Tamagawa

Kalyani Saxena