Shelby Stephenson is NC's Newest Poet Laureate, Press 53 Reissues "Fiddledeedee"
On December 22nd, Governor Pat McCrory announced North Carolina's newest Poet Laureate, Shelby Stephenson. And on January 1st, Press 53 reissued Stephenson's classic long poem Fiddledeedee.
Former Poet Laureate Joseph Bathanti has said, "Fiddledeedee is Shelby at his best. Blessed be his wholly liturgical verse - the bard, the very voice, of North Carolina."
In Slovakia, Christmas Dinner Starts In The Bathtub
Christmas carp is a holiday mainstay in many central European nations. Traditionally, it swims in the family tub for a day or two, sometimes becoming a sort of pet before it ends up on the plate.
Miranda July Balances Weirdness And Reality In Debut Novel
The director and artist says one of the challenges of writing The First Bad Man was shaping her main character's odd psyche. Then, she says, she realized, "I can always take it back if it's too much."
Ellar Coltrane, Taking Notes On Life And Girls For 'Boyhood'
NPR's Tamara Keith spoke with the star of the film, Ellar Coltrane, who spent more than a decade shooting the movie. This story first aired on July 12 on Weekend Edition Saturday.
After Silence, An 'Outline' Of A Life In Fragments
Rachel Cusk's new novel Outline reflects the fragmentation of her own life in the story of a writer coming to terms with her dissolving marriage while on a summer teaching trip to Greece.
This Weekend, Visit San Francisco's Famed Forbidden City In 'China Dolls'
In this installment of Weekend Reads, Jean Kwok recommends Lisa See's novel China Dolls, about the unlikely friendship formed by three young women on vaudeville's all-Asian "Chop Suey Circuit."
Finding The Pieces To Form A New Nation
For each familiar two-word phrase and name, take one or more letters from the start of the first word plus one or more letters from the start of the second word to name a country.
Mexican Carpoolers: A Photographer's View Of Truck Bed Commuters
In the backs of pickup trucks, construction workers lie among tools and blankets, headed to the city for a day's work. Alejandro Cartagena turned his camera on the carpoolers.
Eyes Of The Courtroom: Sketching The Nation's Biggest Trials
You may not have heard of illustrator Mona Shafer Edwards, but you've probably seen her work: she's been drawing high-profile courtroom cases for years. She says behind every sketch, there's a story.
'Blood Of The Tiger': Shedding Light On China's Farmed-Tiger Trade
The endangered animals are bred for luxury items, like tiger bone wine and tigerskin rugs. By raising the demand for these goods, the farms pose a threat to wild tigers, says author J.A. Mills.