archive
Books
Susan Straight: One Home Town, Many Voices
December 5, 2012 NPR's Karen Grigsby Bates profiles novelist Susan Straight, who is putting her hometown of Riverside, Calif., on the literary map. Straight herself is white, but she weaves the black, working-class voices of Riverside into her work.
Kitchen Window
Learning To Cook Under Pressure
December 5, 2012 The pressure cookers of a generation or two ago stoked fear with their explosive reputation. But don't let those bygone notions keep you from bringing faster, more flavorful meals to the table.
Movies
An Aging 'Quartet,' Still Polishing Their Legends
December 4, 2012 Dustin Hoffman's directorial debut centers on a retirement community for aging opera musicians and the relationships that have carried into their golden years. Critic Ella Taylor says a prestige cast of British actors and actual retired opera stars calls forth the sense of nostalgia the movie aims for.
Monkey See
Home Video Review: 'Lawrence Of Arabia' On Blu-Ray
December 4, 2012 David Lean's epic classic made actors like Peter O'Toole cinematic legends. NPR movie critic Bob Mondello looks at the Blu-ray release and the special features for the film's 50th anniversary.
The Salt
From Humors To Self-Control: The Evolution Of A Well-Balanced Diet
December 4, 2012 Europeans and American colonists believed one's personality, temperament and physical health depended on balancing "humors" of hot, cold, moist and dry with foods. Of course, that worked for the wealthy, who could afford a variety of foods, and it kept them in power.
Television
Boxes Of TV Fun, Old And New, For The Holidays
December 4, 2012 It's holiday box-set season, and Fresh Air critic David Bianculli shares some favorites for the TV-lover on your list. "Giving someone a gift of a TV show," he says, "is somehow very personal. You're giving something that you love, and that, in many cases, will occupy many hours ... of their time."
Author Interviews
'Inventing Wine': The History Of A Very Vintage Beverage
December 4, 2012 In his new book, author and oenophile Paul Lukacs traces the 8,000-year history of our original alcoholic beverage — from ancient times, when wine was believed to be of divine origin, to the sauvignon blanc you find in your supermarket today.
Monkey See
Sundance 2013: Who Cares About Ashton Kutcher? Bring On Jesse And Celine!
December 4, 2012 Sundance announced its premieres yesterday, and while many are very excited about the facial hair on Ashton Kutcher, others anxiously await the return of a movie couple almost 20 years into their relationship.
New In Paperback
High-Stakes Stories About Van Gogh, A Polish Prison And Gambling
December 4, 2012 Alex Berenson returns with another spy thriller; biographers Steven Naifeh and Gregory White Smith argue that Vincent van Gogh didn't commit suicide; humorist Calvin Trillin collects his best columns; and Beth Raymer tours the world of sports betting.
Monkey See
PBS Remixes 'Reading Rainbow,' Delights Map And Book Nerds Everywhere
December 4, 2012 PBS remixes another of its iconic shows, and this time, it's all about books.
The Salt
Sandwich Monday: The CBO
December 3, 2012 For this week's Sandwich Monday, we try McDonald's new CBO sandwich. CBO stands for "Cheddar, Bacon, Onion," but they have to put an asterisk after "Cheddar," because it's not really cheese. We don't know why they don't have to put an asterisk after "food."
Art & Design
Street Art Brings Life To A Miami Neighborhood
December 3, 2012 Just a few years ago, Miami's Wynwood was known as a rough neighborhood of warehouses and shoe factories. Today, it has become the center of Miami's art scene, known for its galleries, studios and street murals. Many attribute that transformation to the work of developer Tony Goldman.
The Two-Way
'Three Cups Of Tea' Co-Author Took Own Life, Medical Examiner Says
December 3, 2012 David Oliver Relin was Greg Mortenson's co-writer on the best-seller. In the past year, Mortenson has been accused of fabricating some of his tales about his life in Pakistan and Afghanistan and the charitable work he did there.
You Must Read This
A Gruesome 'Sabbath': Roth's Vile, Brilliant Masterpiece
December 3, 2012 Philip Roth recently announced that he had written his last novel. Author Matthew Specktor explains why Sabbath's Theater, released in 1995, is not only Roth's most disgusting novel but also his best. Do you have a favorite book that breaks all the rules? Tell us in the comments.
Best Books Of 2012
Finders Keepers: 2012's Books To Hang On To
December 3, 2012 This year's treasures include a heart-racing memoir, a fun first novel, a fascinating study of fraternal bonds, plus Toni Morrison's Home and Christopher Hitchens' last work. Critic Heller McAlpin has sifted through piles of new publications and panned for literary gold.
