6 Book Stories That'll Cast The Election In New Light
()With only days until Nov. 6, and plenty of election ennui going around, NPR Books dug into the archives for new ways to look at the election storyline, including an idea of what happens when a campaign gets a dose of sci fi, fantasy and puberty, respectively.
Author Interviews
Nick, Nora (And Asta) Return In 'Thin Man' Novellas()
November 3, 2012 Dashiell Hammett's The Thin Man invented a new kind of crime fiction. It was hard-boiled, but also light-hearted; funny, with a hint of homicide. Now, for the first time, the stories of After the Thin Man and Another Thin Man have been published as novellas.
Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!
Smithsonian's Wayne Clough Plays Not My Job()
November 3, 2012 The Smithsonian Institution is often called The Nation's Attic, which makes Clough, secretary of the Smithsonian, the crazy guy up in the attic hoarding all that stuff. Since he's in charge of the stuff that's worth keeping, we'll quiz him on all the stuff people collect that isn't.
Movie Reviews
'Ralph': An 8-Bit Hero With Plenty Of Heart()
November 1, 2012 Wreck-It Ralph, from the creative forces at Disney-Pixar, constructs a multidimensional behind-the-scenes world of arcade games. Critic Scott Tobias says the misfit characters are the perfect vehicles for the message that even the biggest of "wrecks" can find a place to fit in. (Recommended)
NPR's Backseat Book Club
How 'Black Beauty' Changed The Way We See Horses()
November 2, 2012 In 1877, Anna Sewell wrote a novel about human kindness and cruelty — all from the point of view of a horse. In the decades since, Black Beauty has been embraced by generations of children, and has helped change the way we treat and think about horses.
Author Interviews
Reading 125 Titles A Year? That's 'One For The Books'()
November 1, 2012 Joe Queenan reads so many books, it's amazing that he can also find time to write them. Queenan estimates he's read between 6,000 and 7,000 books total, at a rate of about 125 books a year. His latest work, One for the Books, is all about what he reads and why.
Author Interviews
Ricks: Firing 'The Generals' To Fight Better Wars?()
November 1, 2012 Thomas Ricks' new book, The Generals, is about what he sees as a decline of American military leadership and accountability. He says that in World War II, generals were held accountable for their lack of success — but that started to change with the Korean War.
Superstorm Sandy: Before, During And Beyond
Broadway To Sandy: The Show Is Back On()
November 1, 2012 New York's theater workers mobilized to get their shows back up and running by Wednesday. But with no trains, very few buses and massive traffic jams, the commute wasn't easy. One actress had to walk about two hours to Manhattan from her home in Queens.
Movie Reviews
In 'The Bay,' A Plunge Into Suspense For Levinson()
November 1, 2012 The veteran director teams up with the producers of the Paranormal Activity films for a found-footage thriller that breathes new life into the genre. Critic Jeanette Catsoulis says The Bay successfully plunges its audience into a world of suspense not too dissimilar from our own.
The Salt
Day Of The Dead, Decoded: A Joyful Celebration Of Life And Food()
November 1, 2012 The ancient Latin American holiday welcomes ancestors back to the earth for one day each year. Each element on the altar symbolizes a connection between the world of the living and the dead, so naturally, food and drink play a big part. Here we've deconstructed the altar and its meaning.
Opinion
Even Americans Find Some Britishisms 'Spot On'()
November 1, 2012 Adding a foreign word to your vocabulary is like adding foreign attire to your wardrobe. Sometimes you do it because it's practical and sometimes just because you think it looks cool. Linguist Geoff Nunberg says Americans' use of "spot on" falls somewhere between affectation and flash.
Movie Reviews
Battered But Not Broken, Vets Seek 'High Ground'()
November 1, 2012 Eleven climbers, all scarred in some way by the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, tackle a Himalayan climb in Michael Brown's documentary.
NPR's Backseat Book Club
November Kids' Book Club Pick: 'The Red Pyramid'()
November 1, 2012 Former schoolteacher Rick Riordan delivers a lesson in ancient Egyptian history cleverly disguised as a hair-raising kids adventure. Carter and Sadie Kane have no idea they are descended from age-old sorcerers until their archaeologist father accidentally unleashes ancient gods into modern society.
Movie Reviews
'The Details': Dirty Doings In A Stepford Suburb()
November 1, 2012 Writer-director Jacob Aaron Estes tries to bring something new to a drama about infidelity and secrets within a marriage. Joel Arnold says that by taking tropes to their extremes, The Details is able to do just that.
Books
'Smitten Kitchen' Takes The Fuss Out Of Cooking()
November 1, 2012 Blogger and now cookbook author Deb Perelman insists you don't need a big or gourmet kitchen to make good food. Since 2006, she's been tracking down, testing and blogging about recipes she thinks pretty much anyone can make — all from her tiny New York kitchen.
Movie Reviews
A Life And A Plane, In Free Fall From 20,000 Feet()
November 1, 2012 Director Robert Zameckis returns to live action with Flight, about an alcoholic pilot who faces disaster of every kind. Critic Scott Tobias says the film situates its audience in a gray area, making it hard to point the finger of blame at any character. (Recommended)
Movie Reviews
Eyeliner, Lipstick And Finding Your 'Place'()
November 1, 2012 Italian director Paolo Sorrentino's first English-language film, This Must Be the Place, stars Sean Penn as a Goth rocker trying to settle his dead father's scores. Critic Mark Jenkins says the film is an eccentric showcase for the idea that even adults have a lot of growing up to do.
