Arts & Life

Books
Arts

In A Funny New Novel, A Weary Professor Writes To 'Dear Committee Members'

11:31am August 15, 2014

by Maureen Corrigan

Julie Schumacher's anti-hero pens recommendations for junior colleagues, lackluster students and former lovers. The novel deftly mixes comedy with social criticism and righteous outrage.

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Arts

How 'The Knick' Creators Capture Turn-Of-The-Century Operating Scenes

2:49pm August 14, 2014

The drama is set in a New York hospital in 1900, when surgeons were developing new techniques. Series creators Jack Amiel and Michael Begler and medical historian Stanley Burns talk about the show.

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Deaccessioning — the permanent removal of an object from a museum's collection — has been a big issue in Detroit. When the city declared bankruptcy, it had to put all of its assets on the table. Turns out, the most valuable asset was the art collectio

Arts

As Museums Try To Make Ends Meet, 'Deaccession' Is The Art World's Dirty Word

5:57pm August 13, 2014

by Elizabeth Blair

Deaccessioning is the permanent removal of an object from a museum's collection. And there are a lot of rules surrounding it — for one, selling art to pay off debt will get you in big trouble.

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David Suchet plays Hercule Poirot in Agatha Christie's Poirot. The last season premiers Aug. 25 on Acorn TV.

Arts

Case Closed: Agatha Christie's Detective Poirot Solves His Last TV Mystery

3:24pm August 13, 2014

by David Bianculli

After decades on air, Poirot's 13th and final season begins Aug. 25. David Suchet still stars as detective Hercule Poirot, but you won't find the show on PBS. So where is it?

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The Titan II intercontinental-range missile, pictured in 1965, sits ready for launch on its 150-feet-deep underground launchpad. "The one warhead on a Titan II had three times the explosive force of all the bombs used by all the armies in the second world

Books
Arts

Nuclear 'Command And Control': A History Of False Alarms And Near Catastrophes

11:39am August 13, 2014

Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation, spent six years researching America's nuclear weapons. In Command and Control, he details explosions, false attack alerts and accidentally dropped bombs.

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Arts

Legendary Film Star Lauren Bacall Dies At 89

10:09pm August 12, 2014

She was loved for her smokey voice and alluring gaze. NPR's Robert Siegel talks about the Hollywood star and her career with correspondent Neda Ulaby.

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Arts

A Farewell To Robin Williams, Whose Antics Never Hid The Tenderness Beneath

9:45pm August 12, 2014

by Bob Mondello

As the entertainment world mourns the loss of comedian and actor Robin Williams, NPR film critic Bob Mondello offers an appreciation.

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Arts

In The Irish Film 'Calvary,' A Priest's Crisis Of Faith Is Weirdly Jokey

2:57pm August 12, 2014

by David Edelstein

John Michael McDonagh's new movie stars Brendan Gleeson as a priest who must eventually face off against a killer. It's excruciatingly obvious and inept, but Gleeson brings it alive.

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Arts

Robin Williams, Comedic Master And Oscar Winner, Dies At 63

10:07pm August 11, 2014

by Robert Siegel

Robin Williams has died at the age of 63. Williams is remembered for his roles in TV and film, including an inspiring teacher in Dead Poet's Society and an Oscar-winning turn in Good Will Hunting.

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Arts

Robin Williams, A Stand-up Act — On Stage, On Set And In Life

9:18pm August 11, 2014

by Robert Siegel

For NPR's film and TV critic Linda Holmes, a long-time love of Robin Williams began with his stand-up show A Night at the Met. Despite lauded dramatic turns, Williams always displayed humor and charm.

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