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January 17, 2013 The National Book Critics Circle has announced that two feminist literary scholars, Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar, will receive a lifetime achievement award. Critic Maureen Corrigan says their groundbreaking 1979 book, The Madwoman in the Attic, changed the way we read.

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On Fresh Air from WHYYPlaylist

January 17, 2013 Believe it or not, Food Network's crazy-ingredient competition has more relevance to the home cook than a lot of higher-profile shows.

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January 17, 2013 Oxygen has pulled a controversial special before it can even air. But Gene Demby wonders: might there have been a silver lining in what critics have managed to keep from ever seeing the light of day?

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January 17, 2013 When a young Quaker woman in 1850s Ohio comes into contact with the Underground Railroad, she faces a dilemma. If she helps the runaways, her family could go to prison and lose their farm. Tracy Chevalier's contemplative novel offers a powerful testament to the force of conscience.

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January 17, 2013 A Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams' iconic Cat on a Hot Tin Roof may feature big names, but it aims for a quiet kind of authenticity. Director Rob Ashford asked his cast to take their characters off the pedestal of dramatic history and put them back in the scene.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

January 16, 2013 At his peak, Lance Armstrong alternately charmed, manipulated and strong-armed the media. He transcended the world of cycling, and much of the coverage from nonsports media was adulatory. The now-disgraced cycling champion is turning to a televised interview with Oprah Winfrey for redemption.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

January 16, 2013 If you're not a drama nerd, you might think the Canadian backstage comedy Slings and Arrows isn't for you. But film critic Bob Mondello says just one episode may be enough to change your mind.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

January 16, 2013 California public television host Huell Howser earned the affection of many fans, hundreds of whom turned out for a memorial Tuesday night.

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January 16, 2013 He was the kindly white adoptive father of two young African-American brothers on the popular TV series, which aired from 1978-86. Bain, 89, died Monday in California. The show made Gary Coleman a star. He died in 2010.

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January 16, 2013 We've crowdsourced a good-mood playlist before; now we made another one. Or rather, you made another one.

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January 16, 2013 The veteran actor makes his directorial debut with a film about four aging opera singers who stage a concert at their retirement home. Starring Maggie Smith and Tom Courtenay, the film explores friendship, memory and the time that remains.

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On Fresh Air from WHYYPlaylist

January 16, 2013 Harlem Renaissance writer Eric Walrond's 1926 story collection, Tropic Death, is being reissued after decades out of print. Reviewer Oscar Villalon says the stories are "disturbing reminders of how utterly vulnerable we are to the injustices of the heart and of community."

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January 16, 2013 The outspoken Whole Foods founder tells us why he hates "Obamacare" and why we have trouble cutting the sugar, fat and salt out of our diets. But now he's told CBS he used a poor choice of words when referring to the health law as fascism.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

January 16, 2013 It may not be as sexy as farro, as healthy as quinoa or as versatile as oats. But barley has a lot more going for it than being malted for beer or being dumped in a soup. Its versatility shines in salads, soup — even risotto.

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