Arts

Books
Arts

Laia Jufresa Weaves Together Richness Through Common Grief In Debut Novel 'Umami'

8:53am September 17, 2016

Laia Jufresa's new novel Umami traces a group of neighbors, each getting over a private grief. Scott Simon asks Jufresa about the book and the woman who translated it from Spanish to English.

Books
Arts

'Commonwealth' Doesn't Need Big Drama To Draw Us In

7:00am September 17, 2016

by Annalisa Quinn

Ordinary family life provides all the tension and attraction in Ann Patchett's new book. The story of two families and a fateful party that upends both, it draws on Patchett's own life experiences.

Train journeys in India were once defined by food, brought by passengers from their homes and purchased from vendors like this one. Passengers shared food with each other, exchanging stories and family histories, and sometimes striking new friendships th

In India, A Rich Food Culture Vanishes From The Train Tracks

7:00am September 17, 2016

by Charukesi Ramadurai

Once upon a time, most of the millions of people who travel on India's vast train network brought their own food or bought it from vendors at stations. Sharing meals could turn strangers into friends.

Albee, shown here in 1995, won Pulitzer Prizes for A Delicate Balance, Seascape and Three Tall Women and Tony awards for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?

Arts

Playwright Edward Albee, Who Changed And Challenged Audiences, Dies At 88

8:38pm September 16, 2016

by Jeff Lunden

"All art should be useful," Albee said. "If it's merely decorative, it's a waste of time." The Pulitzer-winning playwright of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? died Friday following a short illness.

Arts

Toronto Film Festival Unveils Likely Awards Contenders

6:41pm September 16, 2016

by Bob Mondello

The Toronto International Film Festival is underway. Many likely Academy Awards contenders were unveiled at this year's festival.

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NFL Live Streams Thursday Night Football On Twitter

4:32pm September 16, 2016

by Eric Deggans

The NFL's Thursday night game streamed on Twitter's platforms on a variety of devices this week. Over 800 million Twitter users worldwide had free, live access to the game.

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Books
Arts

Writer Mat Johnson On 'Loving Day' And Life As A 'Black Boy' Who Looks White

2:08pm September 16, 2016

As a biracial child growing up in Philadelphia, Mat Johnson identified as black, but looked white. His latest novel is about a man returning to his childhood home. Originally broadcast June 29, 2015.

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Arts

Oliver Stone Puts A Melodramatic Spin On 'Snowden' And The Surveillance State

1:53pm September 16, 2016

by David Edelstein

Stone's new film presents the exiled former NSA contractor as a heroic whistle-blower. Critic David Edelstein says movie's take on Snowden is entertaining — but also a bit one-sided.

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Fred Armisen and Bill Hader parody The War Room in the new season of Documentary Now!

Arts

Pop Culture Happy Hour: 'Documentary Now!' And Life Onscreen

12:34pm September 16, 2016

by Stephen Thompson

NPR Politics Podcast host Sam Sanders joins the gang to discuss the IFC series. Then, we each pick, watch and describe a documentary we'd never seen. And, of course, What's Making Us Happy this week.

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Hari Kondabolu worked as an immigrants rights organizer in Seattle and did comedy as a hobby on the side. But as his following grew, he realized he couldn't do both. "There is no such thing as a part-time organizer," he says.

Arts

Hari Kondabolu Says His Mom Is Hilarious — And Not Because Of Her Accent

10:44am September 16, 2016

by NPR Staff

The immigrants rights organizer turned comedian won't impersonate his parents' Indian accents. For many people, he says, "immigrants are funny voices," and he's not interested in playing into that.

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