Arts

A young man looking sad while sitting on the ground with his head on his hands

Fear Of Fainting, Flight And Cheese: One Man's 'Age Of Anxiety'

8:09pm January 06, 2014

Since about age 2, Atlantic editor Scott Stossel has been "a twitchy bundle of phobias, fears and neuroses." Today, his phobias include asthenophobia, a fear of fainting; aerophobia, a fear of flying; and turophobia, a fear of cheese. He wrote his latest book to help understand and find relief from his anxious suffering.

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Arts

Meet the Artist: Susannah Ravenswing Creates Jewelry and Fine Objects Inspired by Nature

8:00am January 06, 2014

by David Ford

What would you say if we told you that you could get back to nature through the jewelry you wear? Well, artist Susannah Ravenswing would say “…why of course you can”. For decades Susannah has created fine, hand-wrought jewelry and ceremonial objects. Susannah's childhood fascination with myths, and ancient history initially drew her toward a career in archeology, and David Ford began by asking her how those early interests eventually found their way into her art.

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an old typewriter with a blank page and a brandy snifter with liquor on a desk, with a retro effect

Books
Arts

A Critic Tours 'Echo Spring,' Home Of Beloved Boozy Writers

4:19pm January 03, 2014

by Maureen Corrigan

A new book by critic Olivia Laing explores the link between alcohol and writing through the commentaries of famous writers who were themselves alcoholics. Fresh Air's Maureen Corrigan calls Laing's readings "exquisite," and says she wisely avoids "any one-size-fits-all conclusions about the bond between the pen and the bottle."

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Arts

The Genuine, Magnolia Baroque Players, and the Bo-Stevens Band Live in Studio A

1:10pm January 03, 2014

by David Ford

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Arts

Live Music at the Muddy Creek Cafe

9:17am January 03, 2014

by David Ford

Stopping in for a bite at Muddy Creek Cafe in Bethania is a little like stepping back in time.

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Books
Arts

'Before I Burn' Uses Autobiography To Tell A Crime Story

7:14am January 03, 2014

by Rosecrans Baldwin

Scandinavian crime novels have become so popular that some publishers even have a name for the genre — "Scandi-crime." Many of these books keep readers right on the edge of their seats. But reviewer Rosecrans Baldwin says Before I Burn by Gaute Heivoll takes a more subtle approach.

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Other exhibits on display at the Museum include "Silicon Body Part Piercing Displays," "Cambodian Menu Photo Rejects" and "New York City Tip Jars."

Arts

Tiny Museum Preserves Proof Of Creators' Crazy Stories

7:38pm January 02, 2014

by Margot Adler

Housed in an old elevator shaft off a Manhattan alleyway, the Museum's 18 small shelves hold random objects like bootleg Sharpies and prison dice made of bread. Co-creator Josh Safdie says the Museum's roots lie in its founders' outlandish stories.

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Early 20th century British maids worked long, hard days with little time off.

Books
Arts

Visible And Invisible: 'Servants' Looks At Life Downstairs

5:28pm January 02, 2014

Author Lucy Lethbridge explores the history of British servants through their diaries, letters and memoirs. She says, "What I found particularly fascinating was how ... butlers were so butlery"; the old caricature of the clever manservant and the silly master is one "butlers have appeared to play to the hilt."

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Kevin Spacey (left) and Robin Wright star in House of Cards, directed by David Fincher. The Netflix series, which follows a Machiavellian politician, is an adaptation of a BBC series of the same name. Hear an interview with Spacey and Fincher.

Arts

David Bianculli's Top 10 Shows: 2013 Was A 'Good Year For TV'

4:44pm January 02, 2014

by David Bianculli

Two new shows from Netflix -- House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black — changed the TV landscape, but Bianculli's top pick for 2013 is AMC's Breaking Bad. "It ended as brilliantly as it began," he says. "I'm so grateful for that series."

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In the sci-fi romance Her, a lonely man (Joaquin Phoenix) finds love in a rather unexpected place — with a computer operating system named Samantha.

Arts

In A 'Miraculous Year' For Movies, Edelstein Picks His Favorites

4:44pm January 02, 2014

In 2013, "you really feel as if directors are taking chances in their storytelling," says film critic David Edelstein. He loved the movie Her, and says the biggest surprises of the year were All Is Lost and Much Ado About Nothing. He also explains why 12 Years a Slave didn't make his top 10.

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