Confined In China, Ai Weiwei Directs Alcatraz Exhibit From Afar
The dissident Chinese artist uses San Francisco's former island prison to contrast themes of freedom and restriction.
Arts
In 'Transparent,' A 70-Year-Old Divorced Dad Comes Out As A Woman
The new drama, which launches Friday on Amazon Prime, stars Jeffrey Tambor as a transgender woman coming out to her three grown kids. Tambor acts the role without any hint of cheap humor.
Not My Job: 'Eat, Pray, Love' Author Gets Quizzed On Dieting, Blasphemy, Hate
We ask Elizabeth Gilbert about the opposites of eating, praying and loving. Her latest novel is called The Signature of All Things.
Writer Paul Theroux: The Short Story Is 'Diabolically Hard To Master'
"It's only 10 or 15 pages," he says, "but still you got to get it right." Theroux's new collection, Mr. Bones, tells stories of the odd person out.
Culinary Diplomacy Takes Texan Chef To The Land Of Grilled Yak
Is food the oldest instrument of diplomacy? The U.S. State Department just sent award-winning chef Tim Byres to Kyrgyzstan, where he ate a sheep's eye and wowed his hosts with Texan spices.
'Love Is The Drug' For A Teen Caught In A Dystopian D.C.
Alaya Dawn Johnson's latest is about senior at a Washington, D.C. prep school in the midst of a global pandemic. This book offers a chilling glimpse of a dystopia that could be just around the corner.
As The Ebola Outbreak Worsens, A Book About Compassion
This week, the CDC predicted there could be tens of thousands of Ebola cases if the disease is not controlled soon. Author Alaya Dawn Johnson turns to a favorite novel for wisdom amid this epidemic.
Gilligan's Island At 50: A Goofy Show From A Time Of TV Innocence
As classic sitcom Gilligan's Island celebrates its 50th birthday, NPR TV critic Eric Deggans says it is an example of a show much loved by fans despite widely acknowledged mediocrity.
Before You Take A Bite Of That Mushroom, Consider This
Guess what scientists found lurking inside a common-looking packet of supermarket porcini? Three entirely new species of fungi. That's what happens when you sequence the DNA of your dinner.
Coal Miners And Gay Activists Partner In 'Pride'
The film offers a rousing, true-life take on a British coal miners' strike that led to an unusual union. Critic Bob Mondello says the storyline blends Norma Rae with sillier, Kinky Boots-ish stuff.