Arts & Life

Then-Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin speaks at a news conference on March 7, 2018.

Trump's Former VA Secretary Describes 'Toxic' Washington Culture In New Book

9:25am October 22, 2019

by Brian Naylor

David Shulkin's memoir, It Shouldn't Be This Hard to Serve Your Country, focuses on his time as veterans affairs secretary, tells of his fights against privatizing the VA — and settles some scores.

Books
Arts

'Last Of Her Name' Urges Readers: Only Connect

7:00am October 22, 2019

by Michael Schaub

Mimi Lok's debut story collection — a perceptive look at the connections we make and fail to make — doesn't read like a debut. Lok writes with the self-assuredness of a literary veteran.

Damon Lindelof and star Regina King on the set of Watchmen.

Arts

'Watchmen' Creator Damon Lindelof: Not Talking About Race Felt 'Irresponsible'

5:02am October 22, 2019

by Noel King

The original 1986 Watchmen comic was built on a fear of nuclear holocaust; Lindelof's new HBO adaptation takes racism as its central evil, opening with a reconstruction of the 1921 Tulsa massacre.

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Hilary Swank (left) and Chloe Sevigny starred in Boys Don't Cry, a fictionalized portrayal of the transgender youth Brandon Teena (played by Swank).

Arts

20 Years Later, 'Boys Don't Cry' Still Inspires Admiration And Debate

5:43pm October 21, 2019

by Allyson McCabe

The tiny independent film became a critical and box office hit by introducing mainstream audiences to a transgender hero. It fictionalized the true story of the brutal murder of Brandon Teena.

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Biographer Holly George-Warren describes rock star Janis Joplin (shown here in 1969) as an introspective person who didn't always like her own thoughts.

New Janis Joplin Biography Reveals The Hard Work Behind The Heart

1:58pm October 21, 2019

by Terry Gross

Onstage, Joplin oozed confidence, sexuality and exuberance, but biographer Holly George-Warren describes the singer as a bookworm who worked hard to create her "blues feelin' mama" musical persona.

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Arts

Despite Helen Mirren's Star Turn, 'Catherine The Great' Is Just OK

1:58pm October 21, 2019

by David Bianculli

HBO's new series has plenty of court intrigue, scandals and betrayals, but the script amounts to little more than a historical greatest hits, bouncing from well-known event to event.

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Books
Arts

3 Fresh New Romances For October

7:00am October 21, 2019

by Maya Rodale

As the October days shorten, it's a good time to curl up with a romance novel — this month, we're featuring stories about people who defy traditional expectations to find their happy-ever-afters.

The Less People Know About Us: A Mystery of Betrayal, Family Secrets, and Stolen Identity, Axton Betz-Hamilton

Books
Arts

In 'The Less People Know About Us' A Mysterious Identity Theft Hits Close To Home

10:01am October 20, 2019

by Genevieve Valentine

Axton Betz-Hamilton was 12 when her family's mail began disappearing. Her memoir details what follows and, when she discovers the culprit, the painful process of collecting the pieces of her past.

VeggieTales re-launches on the Trinity Broadcasting Network with new episodes this month, starting with a Christmas special called The Best Christmas Gift.

'Tis In Season: A Harvest Of New VeggieTales, In Time For Christmas

7:59am October 20, 2019

by Lee Hale

Hugely popular in the 1990s, the computer-animated Christian series — featuring Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber retelling Bible stories — has been rebooted on Trinity Broadcasting Network.

View of the south fields, all works by Mark di Suvero. Left to right: Figolu, 2005–11. Courtesy the artist and Spacetime C.C. E=MC2 , 1996-97. Courtesy the artist and Spacetime C.C. ©Mark di Suvero.

Arts

Sculptor Mark Di Suvero Creates Joy Out Of Steel

7:59am October 20, 2019

by Karen Michel

Suvero's acclaimed sculptures are in public spaces all over the world and in the collections of major museums. The sculptor recently installed his largest work at the Storm King Arts Center.