'Istanbul': A Twisted Tale Of Foreign Espionage
()In Joseph Kanon's new spy thriller, Istanbul Passage, former intelligence aide Leon Bauer is caught in the complexities of post-World War II life, in a story of moral compromise and shifting loyalties.
Movie Reviews
'OC87': A First Film, Personal And Hard-Won()
May 24, 2012 Bud Clayman dreamed of becoming a filmmaker in Los Angeles, but those dreams were complicated by his Asperger's syndrome, OCD, bipolar disorder and depression. Three decades later, he's co-directed a film about his struggles with mental illness.
Movie Reviews
An Unlikely Friendship, Made For The Movies()
May 24, 2012 Based on a true story, a popular award-winning French film follows the therapeutic relationship between a quadriplegic aristocrat and his ex-con caretaker. Critic Mark Jenkins says The Intouchables is likable, but airbrushes the sociocultural conflicts inherent in its material.
Movie Reviews
'Oslo, August 31st': A Long Day In A Gray Hour()
May 24, 2012 The second film directed by Joachim Trier (Reprise) follows a self-destructive writer released from rehab for a day in Oslo. Critic Mark Jenkins says the film is a meditative look at one man seeking connection while considering ending it all.
Monkey See
Cannes Diary: Audacious 'Motors,' But Not Much Of A 'Road' Trip()
May 24, 2012 Bad weather and long lines are testing critics' patience at Cannes, but writer Raj Ranade has another roundup of notable films — including a melancholy mob drama and a "gloriously insane" entry from Leos Carax.
Critics' Lists: Summer 2012
Literary Look Ahead: 13 Great Books On The Horizon()
May 24, 2012 Critic Michael Schaub offers a sneak peek at some of the most hotly anticipated books of the summer: An Obama bio. A sparkling debut. Thrillers of both the fictional and body-science kind. Even Lincoln is reborn in this season of sun, sand, renewal — and reading.
Fitness & Nutrition
Happy Feet: Tips For Healthier Running()
May 23, 2012 Have you thought about switching to barefoot running? New York Times exercise columnist Gretchen Reynolds did — and promptly injured herself. She details what she did wrong — and how to keep your own feet healthy — in her new book, The First 20 Minutes.
Critics' Lists: Summer 2012
Plant Eater's Paradise: 2012's Best Summer Cookbooks()
May 23, 2012 These cookbooks take fruits and vegetables fresh from the field and the farm stand to delectable extremes. Writer T. Susan Chang has gleaned 10 top cookbooks that will make even the most devoted carnivore slip into accidental vegetarianism.
New In Paperback
Innovation: 'Machu Picchu', Homesteading And 'Johnny Appleseed'()
May 23, 2012 This week, there's fresh fiction from Pulitzer finalist Denis Johnson, novelist Tom Perrotta and newspaperman Pete Hamill; plus, travel editor Mark Adams explores Machu Picchu; Melissa Coleman reminisces about growing up off the grid; and Howard Means looks at the life of Johnny Appleseed.
Monkey See
Cannes Diary: A Tacky Triumph, And A Gloriously Painful 'Amour'()
May 23, 2012 The political satire No and a wrenching love story from director Michael Haneke are two of the films at the top of writer Raj Ranade's list.
Kitchen Window
What The Well-Dressed Salad Is Wearing For Spring()
May 23, 2012 The side salad has undergone an evolution in mainstream America, from the simple heavily dressed chunk of lettuce, to vibrant kitchen-sink medleys. Now, in many areas, a bounty of local, seasonal ingredients is at our fingertips, helping to elevate the side salad to star status.
Book Reviews
'Bodies': 'Wolf Hall' Sequel Outshines Original()
May 23, 2012 The second novel in Hilary Mantel's trilogy positions Thomas Cromwell as Henry VIII's trusted consigliere and a specialist at getting unwanted wives out of the way. But if the machinations in Bring Up the Bodies are of the cruelest kind, Mantel's language couldn't be more sublime.
Author Interviews
I Vs. We: The 'Heart' Of Our Political Differences()
May 22, 2012 For years, the Tea Party has held individualism up as the great American value. But columnist E.J. Dionne Jr. says that Americans historically have prized communitarianism just as much. In Our Divided Political Heart, Dionne argues that America is at its best when it balances the two.
Theater
David Alan Grier's 'Sporting Life' On Broadway()
May 22, 2012 The stand-up comedian and star of In Living Color was recently nominated for a Tony Award for his portrayal of Sporting Life in the opera Porgy and Bess. "I think the character of Sporting Life is a salesman so he has to be flamboyant, the life of the party," he says.
Author Interviews
'It Worked For Me': Life Lessons From Colin Powell()
May 22, 2012 If you're looking for advice on leadership, it's good to start with a four-star general. In his new memoir, former Secretary of State Colin Powell offers advice and anecdotes drawn from his childhood in the Bronx and his military career — and reflects candidly about the lead-up to the Iraq war.
Book Reviews
'Right-Hand': A Lush Prequel To 'Mason's Retreat'()
May 22, 2012 In The Right-Hand Shore, Christopher Tilghman returns to the racially charged landscape and the crumbling plantations of his book Mason's Retreat. Fresh Air critic Maureen Corrigan calls the prequel "the real deal."
Movies
Power Couple, Covering War (And Waging Their Own)()
May 22, 2012 Martha Gellhorn was one of the first great female war correspondents. But her reputation as a journalist was sometimes overshadowed by her marriage to Ernest Hemingway. A new HBO film looks at the relationship between this passionate power couple.
