How Louis Armstrong became the first Black pop star
Author Ricky Riccardi says Armstrong's innovations as a trumpeter and vocalist helped set the entire soundtrack of the 20th century. His new book about Armstrong's early life is Stomp Off, Let's Go.
Tensions Rise Between Tillerson And Trump As The Threat Of War In N. Korea Looms
New Yorker writer Dexter Filkins says Sec. of State Rex Tillerson is a diplomat in an administration that doesn't value diplomacy: "Rex is a sober, steady guy, and the president is anything but that."
'Red Famine' Revisits Stalin's Brutal Campaign To Starve The Peasantry In Ukraine
Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anne Applebaum explains how Stalin killed millions in the '30s by orchestrating a famine to suppress the nationalist movement and strengthen Russian influence in Ukraine.
'The Florida Project' Presents A Thrillingly Alive Portrait Of Childhood
Director Sean Baker's new film centers on a six-year-old girl living in a dumpy motel complex outside of Orlando. Critic Justin Chang says The Florida Project "packs an emotional wallop."
The Greatest Hits Of 'The Platinum Age Of Television'
"Television has really become where a lot of the action is right now," critic David Bianculli says. His new book revisits the best of the small screen. Originally broadcast Nov. 10, 2016.
Don't Expect To Have Your Mind Blown By 'Blade Runner 2049'
Thirty-five years after the first Blade Runner premiered, Ryan Gosling stars in its sequel. Critic David Edelstein says the new film, though absorbing, is ultimately "just OK."
Singer/Songwriter Jhené Aiko Displays Her Ambition And Range On 'Trip'
Aiko created some of the music on Trip as a response to losing her brother to cancer. Critic Ken Tucker says the album features sorrow and grief — as well as an attempt to escape from sadness.
NRA-Backed Gun Laws Have Found Success In State Legislatures Across The U.S
Journalist Mike Spies says the NRA's push to allow guns on college campuses, daycare centers and bars is part of an effort to "normalize gun carrying as much as possible in American public life."
'Afrobeats' Offers A Sensual Blend Of Electronics, Vocals And Rhythms
A new collection mashes-up Jamaican dancehall, soca, hip-hop and polyrhythms from Ghana and Nigeria. Critic Milo Miles says Afrobeats Hot Hits is a "seductive invitation to dance."