Arts & Life

Arts

'Madame Secretary' Pales In Comparison To 'The Good Wife'

5:39pm September 18, 2014

by David Bianculli

The CBS dramas about women juggling family lives and high-intensity jobs showcase excellent acting. But while The Good Wife is one of the best shows on TV, Madam Secretary's writing is disappointing.

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In a March 2014 TED talk, Ebrahim credited The Daily Show's Jon Stewart with helping him realize that "a person's race, religion or sexual orientation had nothing to do with the quality of one's character."

The Long, Scary Journey From A 'Terrorist's Son' To A Peace Activist

5:39pm September 18, 2014

Zak Ebrahim's father was convicted as a conspirator of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. For most of his life, Ebrahim lied to people about who his father was. His new memoir tells his story.

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In Metástasis, Diego Trujillo (center) plays Walter Blanco, a chemistry teacher who sells crystal meth with his former student José Miguel Rosas, played by Roberto Urbina.

Arts

'Breaking Bad' Fans Get Their Fix In Spanish

7:50pm September 17, 2014

by Hansi Lo Wang

Metástasis, the Spanish-language remake of the AMC series, ends this week on UniMás. The show is set in Colombia instead of New Mexico, but the story of a teacher-turned-drug dealer stays the same.

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Books
Arts

Martin Amis' 'Zone Of Interest' Is An Electrically Powerful Holocaust Novel

6:48pm September 17, 2014

by Alan Cheuse

Martin Amis' latest novel, which takes place in Auschwitz, has already stirred up controversy in Europe according to the New York Times. But reviewer Alan Cheuse calls it the triumph of Amis' career.

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Neonta Williams (left) shares family letters dating back to 1901 with preservationist Kimberly Peach during the Smithsonian's Save our African American Treasures program at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Peach advises her to use archive-quality po

Preserving Black History, Americans Care For National Treasures At Home

12:28am September 17, 2014

by Debbie Elliott

The relics of African-American families help tell the story of America, the Smithsonian says. Museum experts are traveling the country to help identify and care for items of cultural significance.

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As President Jimmy Carter looks on, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat (left) shakes hands with former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin at Camp David on Sept. 6, 1978.

Books
Arts

13 Days Of High Emotion That Led To The Egypt-Israel Peace

6:13pm September 16, 2014

Lawrence Wright's new book examines the 1978 peace deal President Carter brokered between Egypt and Israel. During the tense summit, Carter had "never been angrier," Wright says.

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Books
Arts

Futuristic 'Bone Clocks' Encompasses A Strange, Rich World Of Soul-Stealers

2:56pm September 16, 2014

by Maureen Corrigan

David Mitchell's latest fantasy is an odyssey into the dark side, spanning from 1984 to 2043. It's about a teenager who runs away from her London home and becomes prey to a ghastly gang of mystics.

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Arts

Australian Comic Finds Humor In Humiliation For His Sitcom 'Please Like Me'

2:19pm September 15, 2014

Josh Thomas, 27, stars in the show geared toward 20-somethings on the new cable channel Pivot. He talks about coming out to his dad via text message and dealing with his mom's suicide attempts.

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Wendy Davis Tells Of Her Own Difficult Abortions In 'Forgetting'

1:21pm September 15, 2014

by NPR Staff

A champion of abortion rights, the Texas gubernatorial candidate reveals she terminated two of her pregnancies — once because her life was endangered.

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Daily Show correspondent Michael Che will become the first black co-anchor of Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update.

Arts

Why Michael Che's New Role Could Change More Than 'SNL'

1:27pm September 13, 2014

by Eric Deggans

The Daily Show correspondent will become the first black co-anchor of Saturday Night Live's "Weekend Update." NPR TV Critic Eric Deggans says his hire could help diversify comedy well beyond NBC.