Arts

Francisco Alarcon, Whose Poetry Explored Chicano Life In The U.S., Dies

7:25pm January 20, 2016

by Adrian Florido

Francisco Alarcon was an important Mexican-American poet who influenced generations of Chicano writers, including the current U.S. poet laureate. Alarcon died of cancer last week.

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Arts

Nielsen To Use Facebook And Twitter In New Social TV Ratings

7:04pm January 20, 2016

by Eric Deggans

Nielsen, the ratings company, says it has a way to track what TV shows are trending on Twitter and Facebook, which will give producers and advertisers a better way to measure audiences. NPR explores what this adds to the growing effort to measure online audience.

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Arts

Slain Photographer Sought 'To Give Life To The Forgotten'

3:56pm January 20, 2016

by Hannah Bloch

One victim of last week's attack in Burkina Faso was 33-year-old French-Moroccan photographer Leila Alaoui. She "always wanted to work on important human dignity stories," a friend says.

A child gold miner in Watsa, northeastern Congo. 2004

Today's Slaves Often Work For Enterprises That Destroy The Environment

3:22pm January 20, 2016

Kevin Bales' book, Blood and Earth, explains why slavery in the world's lawless zones is essential to operate mines that pose a grave threat to the environment.

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In researching their book, Caren Zucker and John Donvan tracked down Donald Gray Triplett (center), the first person officially diagnosed with autism. Now in his 80s, Triplett has had a long, happy life, Donvan says, maybe partly because his hometown embr

'In A Different Key' Traces History And Politics Of Autism

2:13pm January 20, 2016

by NPR Staff

Authors John Donvan and Caren Zucker say parents have been "unsung heroes" in spurring more research on autism, and in getting many more kids out of institutions and into schools.

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If you rooted for Washington's NFL team because of Robert Griffin III, you'll almost certainly root for a new team this fall.

Sports
Arts

The Giant Foam Finger: How Do You Choose Your Favorite Team?

12:44pm January 20, 2016

by Stephen Thompson

Sometimes, sports fandom comes naturally: We grew up immersed in it, or we get swept up in local fervor. But there's more than one way to become a fan.

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'Hidden History' Of Koch Brothers Traces Their Childhood And Political Rise

8:28am January 20, 2016

Jane Mayer, author of Dark Money, says the Kochs didn't grow up in "the usual cozy, all-American family." Their parents were away much of the time, and competition between the brothers was fierce.

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Arts

Mapping "Uncertain Times" With Joshua West

7:39am January 20, 2016

by Bethany Chafin

Musician Joshua West wanted to make an album. A month before his son was born, he decided he better start.

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Books
Arts

'Medusa's Web' Tangles The Occult And Old Hollywood

7:00am January 20, 2016

by Jason Heller

Tim Powers — best known for his time-travel classic The Anubis Gates — mixes up the decades again in Medusa's Web, a tale of an eerie estate in Hollywood and a family unmoored in time.

Persian men kneel on the floor to enjoy breakfast in an illustration by James Morier, published in 1818. Because of Iran's strategic position on the ancient Silk Road, Persian culture was disseminated far and wide. There's no better evidence of this than

From Candy To Juleps, Persians Left Imprint On Many Edible Delights

8:30pm January 19, 2016

by Nina Martyris

With sanctions lifting, Iran is open for trade again. You might not realize we've been consuming the fruits of trade with Persians for centuries — in the names used for many common foods.