Film offers 'Hard Truths' about why some people are happy — and others are miserable
Marianne Jean-Baptiste gives a phenomenal performance as a profoundly unhappy woman. There isn't a lot of plot, but director Mike Leigh builds his stories from the details and detritus of daily life.
Remembering Islamic Feminist Fatema Mernissi
Mernissi, a Moroccan sociologist whose books include Beyond the Veil, Islam and Democracy and Dreams of Trespass, died in Morocco on Nov. 30. She was 75. Originally broadcast in 1993.
The U.S. Has A Mass Shooting Epidemic, But No Government Database On Gun Violence
In 2012, journalist Mark Follman searched for comprehensive data about America's mass shootings and found that very little existed. So he and his colleagues began compiling a database of their own.
Remembering Holly Woodlawn, Muse To Lou Reed's 'Wild Side'
Woodlawn, the transgender woman who inspired the first verse of Reed's 1973 hit "Walk on the Wild Side," died of cancer Sunday. She was 69. Originally broadcast in 1991.
From 'Scarface' To 'Sopranos': Remembering Character Actor Robert Loggia
Best known for his roles as cops and outlaws, Loggia died Friday from complications related to Alzheimer's disease. He was 85. Originally broadcast in 1987.
Percussive Piano And Rollicking Swing Float Matthew Shipp's 'Conduct Of Jazz'
Shipp, a mainstay of New York's downtown free jazz scene, likes big blocky chords and loud piano sounds. Critic Kevin Whitehead says the new album by the Matthew Shipp trio is "heavy in a good way."
A Downtrodden Protagonist Reveals Himself Room-By-Room In 'Hotels Of North America'
Rick Moody discusses his new novel, which is told solely in the form of online hotel reviews. The narrator of Hotels Of North America is increasingly down on his luck — and may even be homeless.
Spike Lee Pits Sex Against Guns In A Powerful Message Movie
Lee's new film, Chi-Raq, is an adaptation of the Greek comedy Lysistrata, in which women withhold sex to get their men to stop fighting. Critic David Edelstein calls it a "sexy, brash and potent."
'New Yorker' Cartoon Editor Explores What Makes Us Get It
Humor is both a creative and a cognitive process, says Bob Mankoff, who has contributed cartoons to The New Yorker since 1977. Originally broadcast March 24, 2014.
