Arts

Books
Arts

A Master Class In Journalism From A 1930s-Era Workaholic

4:01pm September 10, 2015

by Juan Vidal

Joseph Roth was an Austrian reporter whose writing provided a vivid portrait of pre-WWII Europe. Critic Juan Vidal says this newly translated collection of his work shows his intelligence and humor.

Mohamed Hashem, one of Saudi Arabia's best known musicians, plays the oud, a Middle Eastern lute.

An Art Scene Flourishes Behind Closed Doors In Saudi Arabia

3:14pm September 10, 2015

by Leila Fadel

There isn't much public space to be creative. Artists Arwa Alneami and Ahmed Mater are trying to change that. They host a salon where creative people gather and exchange ideas.

Queue Listen Now

The Tattered Cover Book Store has served the Denver, Colo., area for more than 40 years. Now, longtime owner Joyce Meskis is preparing to retire and plans to sell to two publishing industry veterans.

Books
Arts

Denver's Tattered Cover Bookstore Is Focused On Succession, Not Just Survival

3:14pm September 10, 2015

by Scott Horsley

Known for its vast selection and knowledgeable sales staff, it's a Denver institution. Now, after 40 years, the store's longtime owner is making preparations to pass the reins to a new generation.

Queue Listen Now

Frank Gehry designed the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. "I love going to Bilbao. ... People come out and hug me," he says. "We all need love."

Arts

Frank Gehry's Lifelong Challenge: To Create Buildings That Move

2:35pm September 10, 2015

by Susan Stamberg

With sculptural swoops and sweeps, Gehry, now 86, changed the course of architecture. Paul Goldberger, who has known the architect for 40 years, has written a new biography called Building Art.

Queue Listen Now

America's Forgotten History Of Mexican-American 'Repatriation'

1:11pm September 10, 2015

With a scarcity of jobs during the Depression, more than a million people of Mexican descent were sent to Mexico. Author Francisco Balderrama estimates that 60 percent were American citizens.

Queue Listen Now

Margo Jefferson is a writing professor at Columbia University. In 1994, she won a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism for her work at The New York Times.

Books
Arts

Privilege And Pressure: A Memoir Of Growing Up Black And Elite In 'Negroland'

10:59am September 10, 2015

In her memoir, Negroland, Margo Jefferson describes growing up black and affluent in 1950s Chicago. Jefferson tells Fresh Air it was a world of sophistication — and snobbery.

Queue Listen Now

What Intangibles Go Into Winning Team Sports?

10:59am September 10, 2015

In Intangiball, baseball writer Lonnie Wheeler argues that players who work hard, set good examples and mentor other players can make teams better in ways that are easy to see — but hard to measure.

Queue Listen Now

Arts

Stephen Colbert Brings Showmanship — And Harmony — To His 'Late Show' Debut

10:58am September 10, 2015

by David Bianculli

The opening Late Show with Stephen Colbert was so packed with business, guests and music, it went several minutes overtime. But TV critic David Bianculli says "it didn't feel long. It felt good."

Queue Listen Now

Cover art from Black Man in a White Coat, by Damon Tweedy.

A Physician Asks: Is Being Black Bad For Your Health?

10:57am September 10, 2015

Damon Tweedy discusses race and medicine in his new memoir Black Man in a White Coat. "There's been a long history of African-Americans being mistreated by the health care system," he says.

Queue Listen Now

Books
Arts

Cities Of Bone And Flights Of Fancy In 'Updraft'

10:57am September 10, 2015

by Amal El-Mohtar

In Fran Wilde's world life happens above the clouds, towers are built from song and humans fly. Critic Amal El-Mohtar says Wilde's new novel is a powerfully innovative work of fantasy.