archive

February 14, 2013 Chris Klimek exhaustively catalogs John McClane's adventures saving his wife, chasing terrorists, shooting things, getting dirty, taking a beating, cracking wise, and lots more.

Summary

February 14, 2013 Also: The Knight Foundation apologizes; more bad news for Barnes & Noble; and discontinued candy heart slogans.

Summary

February 14, 2013 By the time Wendy Plump learned that her husband had a longtime mistress and an 8-month-old son, their union already bore the scars of adultery — both his and hers. Plump's marital post-mortem, Vow, is a frank, intelligent inquiry into the thrills and anguish of infidelity.

Summary

February 14, 2013 A lot of people think Valentine's Day is a commercial, made-up holiday — but even Chaucer noted it as a day to send sweets and gifts to loved ones. And what better than to read romance on such a romantic day? Author Bobbi Dumas has recommendations for great romance reads in every genre.

Summary

February 14, 2013 For those sick of roses and chocolates, we've got a bracing dose of Valentine's Day bitterness — featuring cartoon heartbreak, real life heartbreak, tumultuous relationships and just a touch of hope here and there. Plus a bonus playlist from our friends at NPR Music.

Summary

February 14, 2013 In fashion's first hackathon, developers had just 24 hours to build an app for the industry — the finalists will be presented on the runway at New York's Fashion Week. "Right now the industry could really use some innovation," says Decoded Fashion founder Liz Bacelar.

Transcript

On Morning EditionPlaylist

February 14, 2013 It began like a typical Bollywood story. Boy meets girl in pre-independence India. They fall in love. Her family says no way. So one night, she escapes. NPR commentator Sandip Roy recounts how his great-aunt jumped off a moving train for love, and went on to have a happy 60-year-long marriage.

Transcript

On Morning EditionPlaylist

February 13, 2013 After the teary acceptance speeches, the most quotable moments from any Oscars telecast are the jokes. Comedy writer Dave Boone, a regular joke writer for Hollywood's biggest night, offers his tips on how to make 'em laugh in Movieland and beyond.

Transcript

On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

February 13, 2013 Pope Benedict XVI's resignation speech, given in Latin, has thrust the dead language into the spotlight. Writer Annalisa Quinn says that although not many people outside of the Vatican actively speak it, Latin is still very much a part of our lives.

Summary

February 13, 2013 Sen. Marco Rubio had a tough moment Tuesday night when dry mouth intruded on his response to the State of the Union. But in all honesty, the unplanned nature of any little mistake has a certain appeal.

Summary

February 13, 2013 In a new book, The Dead Sea Scrolls: A Biography, religious scholar and author John J. Collins tells the history of the scrolls and the controversies they have prompted, and explores the questions they ask and answer about Judeo-Christian history.

Transcript

On Fresh Air from WHYYPlaylist

February 13, 2013 Charlie LeDuff's hard-boiled memoir, Detroit: An American Autopsy, gives readers a rough image of the decaying Rust Belt metropolis. But far from being belly up, the city is finally on the rise, as a recent transplant from Detroit explains.

Summary

February 13, 2013 Also: An award for the year's most cutting book review; how it feels to hold Sylvia Plath's hair; and Donna Tartt's new book will be out this fall.

Summary

February 13, 2013 The confounding title of the self-referential novel Percival Everett by Virgil Russell signals its method, which seeks to erase lines between author and subject, reality and fiction. For Alan Cheuse, Percival Everett's (or is that Percival Everett's?) postmodern mind games spoil what might have been a fine novel.

Summary

February 13, 2013 It isn't just the fairy tale stuff of Goldilocks, or the pauper gruel of Oliver Twist. Really, porridge can be a beautiful (sweet or savory) thing, especially during the cold slog of winter.

Summary