Arts & Life

Rami Malek as Elliot Alderson on Mr. Robot.

Arts

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Mr. Robot' And Title Sequences

10:34am September 04, 2015

by Stephen Thompson

The gang offers up its thoughts on a much-loved USA Network series and the way movies' opening credits can set the tone for what's to come. And, as always, What's Making Us Happy this week.

Queue Listen Now

Alice Eve and Chris Evans play two strangers who happen upon each other at Grand Central Station in Before We Go.

Arts

A Slight Night In New York From A Moonlighting Superhero

10:33am September 04, 2015

by Ella Taylor

The directorial debut of Chris Evans is a simple banter-based romantic story about a couple bumping into each other in Grand Central Station.

Ingrid (Ellen Dorrit Petersen) copes with her recent loss of vision in Eskil Vogt's Blind.

Arts

An Inventive Story Of Connection And Isolation In 'Blind'

10:03am September 04, 2015

by Mark Jenkins

The story of a blind woman who confines herself to her Oslo apartment explores surprising connections between characters within a deftly constructed narrative.

The peak of Meru has eluded some of the greatest climbers in the world. The Shark's Fin -- a sheer wall of granite -- is the central pillar in the formation.

Sports
Arts

For 3 Climbers, Summiting Meru Was An 'Irresistible' Challenge

8:20am September 04, 2015

by NPR Staff

Meru is a 21,000-foot mountain in northern India. Some of the greatest climbers in the world have tried and failed to reach its peak — a sheer granite wall known as the Shark's Fin.

Queue Listen Now

How Photos Of Crisis Can Shape The Events They Represent

7:34pm September 03, 2015

NPR's Rachel Martin talks with Kira Pollack, director of photography and visual enterprise at Time, about how iconic photos might affect the conversation about the events they have come to represent.

Queue Listen Now

Books
Arts

'Sorcerer' Is A Delightful Romp With Deep, Solid Roots

3:40pm September 03, 2015

by Amal El-Mohtar

Zen Cho's new novel is a charming, character-driven romance, set in a magic-ridden Regency England — but there are serious questions of race and class underpinning the lighthearted action.

Are people starting sentences with "so" more frequently than ever or are we just noticing it more?

Arts

So, What's The Big Deal With Starting A Sentence With 'So'?

2:37pm September 03, 2015

by Geoff Nunberg

It has been called the new "um" or "like," but linguist Geoff Nunberg says starting sentences with "so" isn't a new trend. People have been doing it for years. We're just noticing it more now.

Queue Listen Now

Actor Dean Jones, seen here in 1966, died Tuesday at age 84. Jones starred in 10 Disney films, including That Darn Cat!

Arts

Dean Jones, Herbie's Driver In Disney Movies, Dies At Age 84

7:10pm September 02, 2015

by Bill Chappell

Actor Dean Jones, who starred in The Love Bug, That Darn Cat! and other classic Walt Disney movies, also played the role of Bobby in the original Broadway cast of Stephen Sondheim's Company.

Books
Arts

A Compelling Plot Gives Way To Farce In Franzen's Purity

7:04pm September 02, 2015

by Roxane Gay

The new novel reveals sharp observations and a great, sprawling story. But critic Roxane Gay says the book gets bogged down with absurdly drawn characters and misfired critiques of modern life.

Queue Listen Now

Books
Arts

'Twelve Kings' Launches A Bold New Fantasy World

5:25pm September 02, 2015

by Jason Heller

Twelve immortal, iron-fisted god-kings rule over the desert metropolis of Sharakhai. No one can stand against them, until the gladiator Çeda begins hunting for the truth behind her mother's death.