Arts

The Art And Science Of Motivation

2:05pm May 21, 2013

Graduation season is upon us and that means a slew of uplifting commencement speeches trying to motivate young adults to greatness. Science and experience tell us that everyone is motivated differently, so how do speakers, coaches and business managers inspire people?

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Courtside Chemistry: How NBA's Phil Jackson Won 'Eleven Rings'

11:13am May 21, 2013

by NPR Staff

Jackson is famous for his philosophical take on basketball and for the many stars he led to championship triumphs. He taught his players yoga and gave them assigned reading — but also pushed them to intensely practice fundamental skills. His new book looks back on a legendary coaching career.

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Books
Arts

After Crashing In Canadian 'Abyss,' Four Men Fight To Survive

11:13am May 21, 2013

by NPR Staff

On an icy night in 1984, a commuter plane crashed in the wilderness. Six passengers died, but four survived: the pilot, a politician, a policeman and a prisoner. Carol Shaben's Into the Abyss describes their fight to make it through that frigid night alive.

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Arts

Singer/Songwriter Martha Bassett Performs Around Winston-Salem

9:37am May 21, 2013

by David Ford

The great singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Martha Bassett is just as in demand as a performer as ever this summer.

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Beth Lapides (with music director-producer Mitch Kaplan) is the founder and ringmaster at UnCabaret, a Los Angeles comedy institution that's marking its 25th anniversary this year.

Arts

At L.A.'s UnCabaret, 25 Years Of Letting It All Hang Out

9:07pm May 20, 2013

by Art Silverman

Launched as an alternative to the stale stylings of the '80s stand-up circuit, Beth Lapides' event bills itself as a venue for "idiosyncratic, conversational comedy." It's helped establish careers for performers from Kathy Griffin to Randy and Jason Sklar.

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More than 500 items from the Captain Kangaroo show — including Dancing Bear's life-sized costume.

Arts

Nostalgia For Sale As Captain Kangaroo's Pals Are Auctioned Off

10:38am May 20, 2013

by Mandalit del Barco

A giant lot of Captain Kangaroo memorabilia goes on the auction block this week in Los Angeles. Among the items up for auction are several of the captain's signature jackets, Mr. Green Jeans' famous jeans and the life-sized costume worn by Dancing Bear.

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Arts

Artist John Nygren Captures Nature in the Beauty of Glass

8:00am May 20, 2013

by David Ford

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Books
Arts

Three-Minute Fiction: 'Ten Ring Fingers' And 'Ghost Words'

6:18pm May 19, 2013

NPR's Bob Mondello and Susan Stamberg read excerpts of two of the best submissions for Round 11 of our short story contest. They read Ten Ring Fingers by Tamara Breuer of Washington, D.C., and Ghost Words by Matheus Macedo of Winthrop, Mass.

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Books
Arts

Unacceptable Anger From 'The Woman Upstairs'

6:18pm May 19, 2013

by NPR Staff

"Women's anger is very scary to people," author Claire Messud says. Her new novel, The Woman Upstairs, features a seething main character, a young woman whose anger is unsettling.

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Actors Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze in Kathryn Bigelow's 1991 action film, Point Break.

Arts

The Movie Katie Aselton Has 'Seen A Million Times'

6:18pm May 19, 2013

by Lily Percy

Actor-director Katie Aselton could watch Kathryn Bigelow's Point Break a million times. "It totally scoops you up and takes you for a ride," she says.

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