Shelf Life

Trouble's not new to Caribbean banana growers. Author Peter Chapman chronicles the rise and fall of the company at the center of a lot of that trouble, the United Fruit Company, in his book, "Bananas!" He talks with Kai Ryssdal.

Whether you crave one that's glazed, cream-filled or you can't stand them at all, donuts tend to come out on top in a down economy. Scott Jagow talks about a sweet world with Paul Mullins, who wrote a book on donuts.

The Puma shoe brand was born when the brothers who founded Adidas split in a dispute that divided their family. Kai Ryssdal talks with "Sneaker Wars" author Barbara Smit about how the family feud behind the two powerhouses shaped the face of global sports.

We think it's cleaner and safer, and we'll pay any price to get it, even though it comes out of faucets for a fraction of a cent. Author Elizabeth Royte talks to Kai Ryssdal about America's obsession with bottled water.

Even in an era of economic downturn and the big box store, independent book store Skylight Books is expanding. Commentator Kerry Slattery says it's all thanks to growing shopper awareness for the impact of local businesses.

In his new book, Jeff Sharlet, a research scholar at New York University's Center for Religion and Media, writes about the fundamentalist Christian group at the center of U.S. economic evangelism. He talks with Kai Ryssdal.

In his new book "The Billionaire's Vinegar," Ben Wallace guides his readers into the shady, ultra-expensive world of vintage wines, where frauds expertly replicate rare bottles and "buyers beware" takes on a whole new meaning.