Arts

Work It, Make It, Do It: In Stronger, Jake Gyllenhaal plays Jeff Bauman, who was injured in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings.

Arts

'Stronger' Does The Hard Work To Earn Its Every Inspiring Moment

5:01pm September 20, 2017

by Scott Tobias

Director David Gordon Green's film stands out from others like it because it prizes "understanding Bauman's perspective and the private burdens of being a hero" over simple uplift.

Actress Nadine Malouf makes kubah as she tells stories about Syria's civil war in Oh My Sweet Land.

In Kitchens Across New York, 'Oh My Sweet Land' Serves Up Stories Of Syria

5:00pm September 20, 2017

by Jeff Lunden

The one-woman show centers on a Syrian-American who tells harrowing stories of Syria's civil war as she prepares a traditional dish. It's an intimate experience for both the audience and the actress.

Jimmy Kimmel, seen hosting the Academy Awards in February, has been thrown into political hot waters. His name has been invoked by a GOP senator looking to pass an Obamacare repeal and replace bill.

WATCH: Jimmy Kimmel Blasts GOP Health Bill, Says It Fails The 'Jimmy Kimmel Test'

1:19pm September 20, 2017

by Domenico Montanaro

After GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy invoked the late night host's name, Kimmel went after him and the Republican health care bill, pulling it apart point by point for an audience that might not normally care.

Forest Dark by Nicole Krauss and Afterglow (a dog memoir) by Eileen Myles

Books
Arts

Novel 'Forest Dark' And Dog Book 'Afterglow' Consider The Meaning Of Life

12:54pm September 20, 2017

by Maureen Corrigan

Critic Maureen Corrigan reviews two books that use experimental forms to tackle weighty topics. "Both of these odd new books offer something special," she says.

In his new special, Jerry Seinfeld revisits the shop window where he first decided try stand-up and the comedy club where he became a regular in the summer of 1976.

Arts

Jerry Seinfeld's New Netflix Special Puts His Comic Life Into Perspective

12:53pm September 20, 2017

by David Bianculli

After more than 40 years in the business, Seinfeld revisits the clubs where he got his start. Critic David Bianculli says Jerry Before Seinfeld will make you laugh — a lot.

'Cuz' Examines The Tragic Life And Death Of A Young Black Man In LA

12:52pm September 20, 2017

Danielle Allen's memoir centers on her cousin Michael, who was sentenced to a long prison term for carjacking when he was 15. Three years after his release, he was found shot to death in a parked car.

A team of elite runners acted as pacers and decreased wind resistance for Eliud Kipchoge (right) as he attempted a sub-two-hour marathon in Monza, Italy, on May 6.

Sports
Arts

Film Chronicles The Road To The 2-Hour Marathon: It's 'Just 25 Seconds Away'

11:52am September 20, 2017

by Mary Louise Kelly

The documentary Breaking2 follows three elite runners as they attempt to break one of the most famous barriers in sports — maintaining 26.2 four-minute, 34-second miles.

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Books
Arts

Zine And Heard: In 'Moxie,' A Young Woman Fights Back

10:00am September 20, 2017

by Caitlyn Paxson

In Jennifer Mathieu's novel, "nice girl" Vivian secretly publishes a zine decrying her high school's culture of sexist harassment. Our reviewer says Moxie works on a "pure, wish-fulfillment level."

Books
Arts

In A Future Ruled By Big Pharma, A Robot Tentatively Explores Freedom — And Sex: 'Autonomous'

7:01am September 20, 2017

by Amal El-Mohtar

Annalee Newitz's tale of a pharmaceutical pirate and the dangerous agents hunting her is built on tender, intimate characterizations that probe notions of selfhood, gender and ownership.

"It's just truth," Gucci Mane says of his new book. "It's the underdog story because I been jumping hurdles my whole life."

'The Autobiography Of Gucci Mane': A Story Of Rap And Rebirth

5:42pm September 19, 2017

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks to rapper about his new book, The Autobiography of Gucci Mane. It traces his life as an artist who forged an unlikely path to stardom and personal rebirth.

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