NPR Topics: Arts & Life

NPR Topics: Arts & Life http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1008&ft=1&f=1008 Art and entertainment commentary plus interviews, book reviews, movie reviews, music reviews, comedy, and visual art. Subscribe to podcasts and follow trends in music, painting, art, architecture, photography, and design. Copyright 2009 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.93 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0500 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Arts & Life http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1008&ft=1&f=1008 An Animated Chat With 'Up' Director Pete Docter <em>Up,</em> the smash-hit animated adventure about a grouchy elderly man, a chubby scout, a 13-foot bird and a house borne aloft by balloons, is now out on DVD. Director and screenwriter Pete Docter talks about the joys of researching and creating animated films. Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120822067&ft=1&f=1008 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120822067&ft=1&f=1008 Up, the smash-hit animated adventure about a grouchy elderly man, a chubby scout, a 13-foot bird and a house borne aloft by balloons, is now out on DVD. Director and screenwriter Pete Docter talks about the joys of researching and creating animated films.

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]]> WTC Provides Back Story For Colum McCann's 'Spin' McCann's novel, <em>Let the Great World Spin</em>, won the National Book Award. He tells Steve Inskeep that his book — set in New York on the day a man walked on a tight-rope between the towers of the World Trade Center — is an attempt to reconstruct an event to find moments of grace and understanding in history. Thu, 26 Nov 2009 19:30:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120846170&ft=1&f=1008 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120846170&ft=1&f=1008 McCann's novel, Let the Great World Spin, won the National Book Award. He tells Steve Inskeep that his book — set in New York on the day a man walked on a tight-rope between the towers of the World Trade Center — is an attempt to reconstruct an event to find moments of grace and understanding in history.

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]]> In N.Y. Museum, Renewable Materials On Display Store shelves these days are packed with products claiming to be "eco-friendly." But it's hard to know exactly what that means. An exhibition in New York tackles that question with the help of 10 top designers. The Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum — together with the Nature Conservancy — asked the designers to create surprising products out of renewable materials from 10 different areas in the world. Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120872713&ft=1&f=1008 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120872713&ft=1&f=1008 Store shelves these days are packed with products claiming to be "eco-friendly." But it's hard to know exactly what that means. An exhibition in New York tackles that question with the help of 10 top designers. The Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum — together with the Nature Conservancy — asked the designers to create surprising products out of renewable materials from 10 different areas in the world.

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]]> Bailey White: 'The Wedding Horse' Storyteller Bailey White continues her tradition of writing an original tale on Thanksgiving. She tells the tale of a relationship between a young house painter and an elderly woman. The young man is getting married, and his bride wants him to arrive on horseback — but he doesn't know how to ride a horse. The old lady suggests that he walk instead, which upsets the bride-to-be. Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:40:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120688811&ft=1&f=1008 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120688811&ft=1&f=1008 Storyteller Bailey White continues her tradition of writing an original tale on Thanksgiving. She tells the tale of a relationship between a young house painter and an elderly woman. The young man is getting married, and his bride wants him to arrive on horseback — but he doesn't know how to ride a horse. The old lady suggests that he walk instead, which upsets the bride-to-be.

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]]> Cuba Was A Canvas For Artist Belkis Ayon When Ayon committed suicide in 1999, she was just 32 years old — and already a star in the Cuban art world. A major exhibit of her work now under way in Havana has revived an enduring mystery in Cuba — about art, African myths and the shadowy, all-male secret society known as Abakua. Thu, 26 Nov 2009 01:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113846410&ft=1&f=1008 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113846410&ft=1&f=1008 When Ayon committed suicide in 1999, she was just 32 years old — and already a star in the Cuban art world. A major exhibit of her work now under way in Havana has revived an enduring mystery in Cuba — about art, African myths and the shadowy, all-male secret society known as Abakua.

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]]> Chef's Global Foods Make Thanksgiving American Marcus Samuelsson was born in Ethiopia, raised in Sweden and now is a world-renowned chef in New York City. His Thanksgiving food traditions are as international as his life story. He sat down with NPR's Steve Inskeep to discuss what he's eating this year. Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120695872&ft=1&f=1008 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120695872&ft=1&f=1008 Marcus Samuelsson was born in Ethiopia, raised in Sweden and now is a world-renowned chef in New York City. His Thanksgiving food traditions are as international as his life story. He sat down with NPR's Steve Inskeep to discuss what he's eating this year.

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]]> The 10 Best Cookbooks Of 2009 If you're the kind of person who's always believed that a book can teach you to do anything, this year's crop of cookbooks will prove you right. Cooks lacking confidence will find comfort in detailed instructions and comprehensive how-tos. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:41:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120683356&ft=1&f=1008 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120683356&ft=1&f=1008 If you're the kind of person who's always believed that a book can teach you to do anything, this year's crop of cookbooks will prove you right. Cooks lacking confidence will find comfort in detailed instructions and comprehensive how-tos.

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]]> Chef Cooks Up Soulful Thanksgiving ... Vegan Style The turkey is the unofficial symbol of Thanksgiving, but don't tell that to eco-chef Bryant Terry. He's the author of <em>The Vegan Soul Kitchen</em>. Terry shares tried and true holiday recipes with a vegetarian twist. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120816487&ft=1&f=1008 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120816487&ft=1&f=1008 The turkey is the unofficial symbol of Thanksgiving, but don't tell that to eco-chef Bryant Terry. He's the author of The Vegan Soul Kitchen. Terry shares tried and true holiday recipes with a vegetarian twist.

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]]> 'Pippa Lee': Escaping The Past, Unsure Of The Future Without any clear sense of herself, Pippa Lee (Robin Wright Penn) has been shaped by others — first her peers, then her husband and children, always living solidly in the present. But with her older husband's health failing, Pippa is forced to confront and ultimately define her identity in a film that gives her a chance to do just that. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:33:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120609933&ft=1&f=1008 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120609933&ft=1&f=1008 Without any clear sense of herself, Pippa Lee (Robin Wright Penn) has been shaped by others — first her peers, then her husband and children, always living solidly in the present. But with her older husband's health failing, Pippa is forced to confront and ultimately define her identity in a film that gives her a chance to do just that.

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]]> At The End Of The World, Another 'Road' To Trudge In an apocalyptic-movie age, <em>The Road</em> is the doomiest. A close translation of Cormac McCarthy's novel, the film tracks a father and son as they fight to survive in an ash-gray world haunted by death and global destruction. Critic David Edelstein says that in its depiction of unbearable extremity, John Hillcoat's film achieves a kind of sublimity. <strong><em>(Recommended)</em></strong> Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:35:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120612276&ft=1&f=1008 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120612276&ft=1&f=1008 In an apocalyptic-movie age, The Road is the doomiest. A close translation of Cormac McCarthy's novel, the film tracks a father and son as they fight to survive in an ash-gray world haunted by death and global destruction. Critic David Edelstein says that in its depiction of unbearable extremity, John Hillcoat's film achieves a kind of sublimity. (Recommended)

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]]> The Uighurs' Unknown Struggle The Tibetan struggle for sovereignty is a story often sung. But there is another struggle for survival in China: that of the Uygur people, a Turkic ethnic group in Central Asia. Photographs by Carolyn Drake bring this previously marginalized story into the fold. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 10:55:04 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114413776&ft=1&f=1008 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114413776&ft=1&f=1008 The Tibetan struggle for sovereignty is a story often sung. But there is another struggle for survival in China: that of the Uygur people, a Turkic ethnic group in Central Asia. Photographs by Carolyn Drake bring this previously marginalized story into the fold.

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]]> Calif. Band Prepares To March In Macy's Parade The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City is in its 83rd year. Only five marching bands are scheduled to perform in this year's parade. One group selected is the Pittsburg High School marching band from California. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120809065&ft=1&f=1008 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120809065&ft=1&f=1008 The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City is in its 83rd year. Only five marching bands are scheduled to perform in this year's parade. One group selected is the Pittsburg High School marching band from California.

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]]> French Chef Puts Spin On Thanksgiving Dinner Dominique Crenn was raised in Versailles, France. She now makes an incredible Thanksgiving dinner, but when she first came to the U.S., the entire holiday threw her off. In France, turkey is eaten at Christmas. So the American phenomenon of Thanksgiving turkey and dressing mystified her. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120631197&ft=1&f=1008 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120631197&ft=1&f=1008 Dominique Crenn was raised in Versailles, France. She now makes an incredible Thanksgiving dinner, but when she first came to the U.S., the entire holiday threw her off. In France, turkey is eaten at Christmas. So the American phenomenon of Thanksgiving turkey and dressing mystified her.

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]]> In Japan, 'Herbivore' Boys Subvert Ideas Of Manhood The sensitive New Age man has finally arrived in the land of the salaryman. Known as "herbivores," these Japanese men are drawn to a quieter, less competitive life. But their lack of interest in sex is a worry in Japan, where the declining birthrate is causing alarm. Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:11:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120696816&ft=1&f=1008 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120696816&ft=1&f=1008 The sensitive New Age man has finally arrived in the land of the salaryman. Known as "herbivores," these Japanese men are drawn to a quieter, less competitive life. But their lack of interest in sex is a worry in Japan, where the declining birthrate is causing alarm.

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]]> Exploring The Politics Of 'Defamation' Israeli filmmaker Yoav Shamir's documentary is a bracing inquiry into arguments about the prevalence of anti-Semitism today. If the filmmaker displays an anthropologist's openness to complicated truths, he also has a contrarian's impish appetite for the opposing view — the more intemperately expressed the better, it would seem. Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120452232&ft=1&f=1008 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120452232&ft=1&f=1008 Israeli filmmaker Yoav Shamir's documentary is a bracing inquiry into arguments about the prevalence of anti-Semitism today. If the filmmaker displays an anthropologist's openness to complicated truths, he also has a contrarian's impish appetite for the opposing view — the more intemperately expressed the better, it would seem.

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