Arts

Brian Moynahan's other books include Jungle Soldier and The Russian Century.

Amid Hunger And Cold, An Unforgettable Symphony Premiere

12:30pm November 04, 2014

by NPR Staff

A year into the siege of Leningrad, a haggard group of musicians defiantly — and improbably — performed Dmitri Shostakovich's Symphony No. 7, which was dedicated to the suffering city.

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Tom Hanks, perhaps imagining the loss of one of his typewriters.

Books
Arts

Book News: Tom Hanks Turns To The Typewriter For His Debut Collection

10:50am November 04, 2014

by Colin Dwyer

The actor and director plans to write his first book of short stories, and he plans to make it about another collection — his personal trove of typewriters. Also: Jill Abramson details her startup.

Modern Farmer has a particular fondness for stories about anything having to do with goats.

With Style And Silo, 'Modern Farmer' Melds Agrarian With Urban Hip

10:42am November 04, 2014

by Dan Charles

Modern Farmer is less than two years old but it's already won a National Magazine Award. "We're making fun of ourselves, in a way, because we don't know anything about farming," says the editor.

Arts

Idiot Box Comedy Club Presents Ultimate Comic Challenge

8:34am November 04, 2014

by David Ford

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Books
Arts

'The Heart Does Not Grow Back' Could Use An Imagination Transfusion

7:03am November 04, 2014

by Jason Heller

Fred Venturini's debut has a fascinating concept: What happens when a small-town kid gets amazing healing powers? But critic Jason Heller says the book never manages to explore that question fully.

Many Views Of Muhammad, As A Man And As A Prophet

7:21pm November 03, 2014

by NPR Staff

In her new book, The Lives of Muhammad, Boston University professor Kecia Ali discusses the different ways that Muslim and non-Muslim biographers have depicted the prophet over the centuries.

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Aasif Mandvi, whose new book is No Land's Man, starred in and co-wrote the 2009 film Today's Special, which was adapted from his off-Broadway one-man show.

Books
Arts

Aasif Mandvi On Life As A 'No Land's Man' And Impressing Jon Stewart

6:57pm November 03, 2014

The Daily Show correspondent was born in India, raised in England and moved to Florida as a teen. His new essay collection reflects on his acting career and his life as an immigrant.

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Books
Arts

Rebuilding A Broken Family 'In Plain Sight'

6:23pm November 03, 2014

by Alan Cheuse

Somali author Nuruddin Farah's new novel follows a glamorous photographer who takes in her brother's children after he dies in a terrorist bombing. Reviewer Alan Cheuse calls it complex yet uplifting.

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Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park, near Freeport, Maine.

Arts

The Luxury Of Solitude

5:16pm November 03, 2014

by Linda Holmes

Road trips are a good time to remember that cultural mistrust of solitude can mask its profound benefits.

Frances McDormand, left, stars with Richard Jenkins, right and Devin McKenzie Druid in HBO's Olive Kitteridge.

Arts

HBO's 'Olive Kitteridge' May Be The Best Depiction Of Marriage On TV

4:44pm November 03, 2014

by Eric Deggans

HBO's miniseries, starring Frances McDormand as a sharp-tongued wife, concludes tonight. NPR TV critic Eric Deggans calls it an unsparing, detailed look at the most quietly troubled marriage on TV.