Arts & Life

Books
Arts

'Dork Diaries' Reveal Secrets Of 'Not-So-Fabulous' Teen Life

7:13pm August 08, 2013

by NPR Staff

Rachel Renee Russell's very popular series stars a not-so-popular protagonist. The Dork Diaries are written by Nikki Maxwell, a misfit at a new school. Russell was inspired to write the books after seeing her own daughters struggle with the "dork" label during their teenage years.

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Poor Donna Reed: Her Mary would have ended up working in a library — shudder — if not for the matrimonial intervention of Jimmy Stewart's George Bailey. Happily, 1946's It's a Wonderful Life isn't the only lens through which pop culture assesses the w

Books
Arts

Libraries' Leading Roles: On Stage, On Screen And In Song

4:04pm August 08, 2013

by Bob Mondello

In the latest installment of our library series, NPR's Bob Mondello visits some notable libraries in popular culture: Jorge Luis Borges' Library of Babel; Lucien's Library in Neil Gaiman's The Sandman; and the stacks in Buffy, Hogwarts, Doctor Who and Fahrenheit 451.

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Jody Foster plays her political opposite as the brutal secretary of defense in Elysium.

Arts

A Future Where Class Warfare Is Much More Than A Metaphor

3:19pm August 07, 2013

by David Edelstein

The writer-director of District 9 returns with Elysium, a dystopian sci-fi/action story with Matt Damon as the hardscrabble hero. Jodie Foster plays the severely chic Big Bad in a saga where the rich live a literally out-of-this-world life above a dying Planet Earth.

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Amazon said its new art marketplace will provide access to more than 40,000 works of art from at least 150 galleries and dealers.

Arts
Economy

Amazon Enters Art World; Galleries Say They Aren't Worried

11:35am August 07, 2013

by Laura Sydell

Will the local gallery go the way of the local bookstore or record store? In the past few years, there's been a growth in sites that sell fine art on the Internet. On Tuesday, Amazon joined that market.

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People following a 5-2 diet would eat lean protein and non-starchy vegetables two days a week.

Two-Day Diets: How Mini Fasts Can Help Maximize Weight Loss

9:34am August 07, 2013

by Allison Aubrey

The idea of intermittent mini-fasting seems to be gaining traction. The appeal: Dieters have to restrict calories for only two days a week. Research suggests this approach is more effective than trying to cut back on calories 24/7.

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Books
Arts

2012 Election Was 'Collision' Between Two Americas

4:05pm August 06, 2013

by NPR Staff

In his new book, Washington Post correspondent Dan Balz offers an insider's account of the forces that shaped the political strategies of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, and the flaws and misfires that led to Romney's defeat. He discusses the 2012 campaign and the future of the Republican Party.

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Rear view of a young guy walking down a city street.

Books
Arts

'Love Affairs' Of A Hip, Young Literary Hound Dog

12:18pm August 06, 2013

by Maureen Corrigan

The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. is a debut novel about a sharp and assured young man living among young, aspiring literary types in Brooklyn. Book critic Maureen Corrigan says never before has a novel made her feel so grateful to be middle-aged.

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Bob Odenkirk plays sleazeball lawyer Saul Goodman on AMC's Breaking Bad. The show is in its final season, but creator Vince Gilligan has talked about doing a spinoff series for Saul that would star Odenkirk.

Arts

Bob Odenkirk Brings Some Laughs To 'Breaking Bad'

12:01pm August 06, 2013

Fast-talking, sleazeball lawyer Saul Goodman knows how to bend the law, or break it, depending on his clients' needs. Odenkirk tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross about playing the AMC drama's most comedic character, and the origins of Saul's comb-over.

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According to author David Epstein, hitters like the Los Angeles Angels' Albert Pujols look at the movement of the pitcher's shoulder, torso or hand to help them hit the ball.

Talent Or Skill?: Homing In On The Elusive 'Sports Gene'

11:59pm August 05, 2013

Do big league hitters have naturally faster reflexes? Are African-Americans predisposed to be better athletes? In his new book, Sports Illustrated's David Epstein says science now has answers — or at least insights — to all these questions.

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A conference attendee tries Google Glass during the Google I/O developer conference in San Francisco in May.

Arts

Bracing For Google Glass: An In-Your-Face Technology

2:22pm August 05, 2013

by Geoff Nunberg

The new eyeglass frames allow you to take pictures and browse the Internet while you wear them. Early adopters focused on the tiny screens have already been dubbed "glassholes." Fresh Air linguist Geoff Nunberg reminds us that in Shakespeare's time "distraction" was another word for madness.

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