Arts & Life

Books
Arts

'Spin The Dawn' Stitches Up A Fabulous Fantasy

7:00am July 15, 2019

by Caitlyn Paxson

Elizabeth Lim's new young adult novel follows a girl who disguises herself as a boy and sets off for the emperor's court in place of her ailing father, who's been summoned as an imperial tailor.

Augusta Savage was an artist, educator, activist and community leader. Her work is the focus of an exhibition at the New-York Historical Society, organized by the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens. She's pictured above with her 1938 sculpture Realization.

Arts

Sculptor Augusta Savage Said Her Legacy Was The Work Of Her Students

5:07am July 15, 2019

by Susan Stamberg

Savage was an artist, an educator, an activist and a community leader. Born on Feb. 29, 1892, Savage once said, "I was a Leap Year baby, and it seems to me that I have been leaping ever since."

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In Fairview, a respectable African American family prepares for a big dinner. But we slowly learn there's something off about Keisha (MaYaa Boateng) and her relatives.

Arts

The Pulitzer-Winning Play 'Fairview' Is About Being Watched While Black

6:02pm July 14, 2019

by Michel Martin

It starts with a perfect black family in a model household, like a '70s sitcom. Then it gets weird. Playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury says she was inspired by an experience with police surveillance.

Five years ago, Ripple Desai opened the Tandoori Taqueria in her hometown of Panguitch, Utah, tapping into a growing tourist market.

Arts

Utah's 'Tandoori Taqueria' Brings Unexpected Indian Spice To Cowboy Country

1:46pm July 14, 2019

by Kirk Siegler

Taco shops are easier to find in rural Utah than Indian restaurants. The Tandoori Taqueria fuses both cuisines and it's doing brisk business in the middle of cowboy country.

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Experiences Attempting Adoption: 'Excuse Me, May I Raise Your Child?'

12:06pm July 14, 2019

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks with author and journalist Farai Chideya about her experiences attempting adoption. She writes about it in a piece titled "Excuse Me, May I Raise Your Child?"

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Books
Arts

'The Golden Hour' Is A Refreshingly Bittersweet Read

10:00am July 14, 2019

by Denny S. Bryce

Beatriz Williams' new novel follows a woman searching for her missing husband in London during World War II, jumping back and forth in time to show all the people and events that led her there.

Books
Arts

New Thriller 'The Chain' Has An Origin Almost As Exciting As Its Plot

9:09am July 14, 2019

by Lynn Neary

Novelist Adrian McKinty had several books and prestigious awards under his belt — but no one was buying, and he'd given up writing to drive an Uber when a blog post led to some new opportunities.

"Sometimes I just want to hide in my island home back in Hawaii and keep things simple," says surfer Bethany Hamilton. But she believes her story can be an example of "inspiration and hope" for young people.

Sports
Arts

For Bethany Hamilton, Surfing Is 'An Escape From All The Chaos On Land'

9:09am July 14, 2019

by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

Hamilton was 13 years old when she lost her arm to a shark while surfing in Hawaii. She went on to surf some of the biggest waves in the world. Hamilton tells her story in the documentary Unstoppable.

Arts

The Potential Causes Of Odd Plane Behavior

8:37am July 14, 2019

Airplane passengers often crave certain flavors and cry more readily. It could be that air pressure and noise are to blame.

In The Farewell, Billi (Awkwafina, left) returns to China to spend time with her grandmother — who doesn't know she is dying thanks to an elaborate ruse.

Arts

In 'The Farewell,' The Bad News Bearers Keep A Secret

5:26pm July 13, 2019

by Michel Martin

Everyone in Lulu Wang's family knew her grandmother was dying — except her grandmother. Her new film about that episode stars Awkwafina in a surprisingly funny feature about terminal cancer.