Arts

Melton is a pro wrestling fan and occasional referee at local matches in Charlotte, N.C.

Arts

When Wrestling Is 'Physical Theater,' Fans See Art In The Ring

9:46am November 14, 2017

Jeff Melton and his friend Adrian Rohr of Charlotte, N.C., are wrestling fans, a sport they love because it lifts their spirits by making them feel like the underdog sometimes can win.

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'Future Home Of The Living God,' By Louise Erdrich

Books
Arts

'Future Home Of The Living God' Is A Rare Stumble From A Great Writer

7:00am November 14, 2017

by Michael Schaub

Louise Erdrich's new novel is a frequently bizarre near-future dystopia that never really comes close to getting off the ground, but it won't dent her reputation as one of the country's best writers.

Priest Responds To Gang Members' 'Lethal Absence Of Hope' With Jobs, And Love

2:28pm November 13, 2017

Homeboy Industries founder Father Greg Boyle has spent 30 years working in LA with gang members and young people transitioning out of prison. His new book is Barking to the Choir.

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Books
Arts

A Book On 'Bunk' For Our Post-Truth Times

10:17am November 13, 2017

by Michel Martin

Poet and critic Kevin Young attempts to make sense of a worsening surge in hoaxes — from plagiarism to fake news — in a new deeply researched history.

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Stephanie Williams and her son Micah, 2, sit on the sofa looking at comic books in their living room in Charlotte, N.C.

Arts

A Lifetime Of Finding Peace, Purpose And Voice In The Pages Of Comics

8:41am November 13, 2017

by Dave Blanchard

Stephanie Williams discovered comics young, drawn early to X-Men, which she saw as an allegory for the persecution of black Americans. An adult now, she co-hosts a podcast about black superheroines.

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Famed gossip columnist Liz Smith, pictured in New York in 2005, died at age 94 on Sunday.

Liz Smith, Longtime Gossip Columnist, Dies At 94

11:23pm November 12, 2017

by Emma Bowman

Smith gave millions a peek into the private lives of the rich and famous through her columns. While she scored big scoops, her insider's take allowed her to shirk the usual salacious brand of gossip.

In New Film, 'My Friend Dahmer' Author Portrays Serial Killer As Sympathetic Outcast

6:16pm November 12, 2017

by David Barnett

My Friend Dahmer, based on the best-selling graphic novel by John Backderf, tells a story of serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer's high school years and the kids who knew him, including Backderf.

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New Exhibit Shows Off Special Effects Pioneer Ray Harryhausen's Lasting Works

6:12pm November 12, 2017

by Nomin Ujiyediin

A new exhibition in Oklahoma City presents the work of pioneering stop-motion animator Ray Harryhausen. In an age of CGI and 3-D animation, his work still influences and delights.

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Books
Arts

Author Explores A Dark History Through A Magical Story In 'Rise Of The Jumbies'

6:05pm November 12, 2017

by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks to Tracey Baptiste about her new novel. Drawing on myths of her native Trinidad and Tobago, Baptiste tackles the history of the slave trade for young readers.

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Julia Roberts plays Isabel, the mother of Auggie Pullman (Jacob Tremblay), in the new movie Wonder.

Arts

Julia Roberts Is Mom In 'Wonder,' And In Life

7:52am November 12, 2017

by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

In a new movie, Roberts plays mother to a child with facial differences about to enter fifth grade in a new school. She took the role in part because her family loved the book it's based on.