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After a childhood that even Dickens could not have conceived of, Heather Mills McCartney overcame huge odds to become first a model, then a leading anti-landmine advocate, then the wife of Paul McCartney. She talks with NPR's Scott Simon about the new edition of her autobiography, A Single Step.

Kenyans turn out for presidential elections Friday, choosing a successor to Daniel arap Moi. Voting is said to be peaceful as people cast ballots for one of five candidates. Moi has ruled Kenya for 24 years. NPR's Jason Beaubien reports.

Host John Ydstie talks with Dr. Elmo Shropshire, the veterinarian who performs the most requested Christmas song ever in radio history: "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer."

In 1998, Hurricane George blew Big Boy the cat into a tree in Gulfport, Mississippi. He's been there ever since. Big Boy is a big cat, he doesn't like other cats in his tree and refuses to come down. Linda talks with Lonnie Bobinger Sr., Big Boy's owner.

Host Scott Simon talks with historian Paul Nagel, author of John Quincy Adams, A Public Life, A Private Life, about the other son of a president who became president after a contested election.

Stradivarius stringed instruments are often considered the finest in the world, certainly the most expensive. Renowned cellist Bernard Greenhouse, longtime member of the Beaux Arts Trio, recently went through the painstaking process of allowing his beloved Stradivarius to be disassembled and restored - piece by piece. NPR's Rick Karr has the story.

There's a long tradition of British Shakespearean actors coming to the colonies and wowing the locals with performances of the Bard's greatest hits. British actor Steven Berkoff talks about his one-man show, Shakespeare's Villains: a Master Class in Evil.

For over 30 years the animated television special, A Charlie Brown Christmas, has entertained millions. Lee Mendelson produced that program and the others that followed based on the Charles M. Schulz Peanuts comic strip characters. Mendelson talks to Noah about the making of the popular annual Christmas special.

This month, Morning Edition is exploring the theme of giving. In the first of this series, Susan Stamberg speaks with Adele Simmons, president emeritus of the MacArthur Foundation, one of the country's largest philanthropic organizations. Simmons tells Susan that giving millions in grants, and making sure the dollars do no harm, is more difficult than it may sound.

With President in Hanoi today, Owen Bennett-Jones reports on a new trade agreement between the US and Vietnam installed in July. Foreign investment has declined because of Vietnam's adherence to old, centrally planned economic policies. Vietnam is trying to change and business people on both sides hope the trade agreement will promote development.