Arts

Arts

'Wait Wait' for Dec. 17, 2022: With Not My Job guest Andrew Bird

8:20am December 17, 2022

Andrew Bird is one of the most celebrated musicians of the past 25 years, a violin and whistling virtuoso who's also a critically acclaimed songwriter. But, can he answer our questions about referees?

Arts
Books

Al Saqi Books, London's first Arabic-language bookstore, is closing down

7:57am December 17, 2022

by Scott Simon

NPR's Scott Simon speaks to Al Saqi Books co-founder Salwa Gaspard and her daughter, Lynn, about the significance of the Arabic-language bookstore and the reasons for its impending closure.

A baker in North Yorkshire, England is letting patrons use his oven for free

7:57am December 17, 2022

by Scott Simon

It can take between four and six hours to bake a traditional British fruit cake. Given the high price of energy, a baker in North Yorkshire, England is letting patrons use his oven for free.

A sampling of NPR's favorite games of 2022.

Arts

Best games of 2022 chosen by NPR

6:18pm December 16, 2022

by James Perkins Mastromarino

From Elden Ring to Immortality, 2022 delivered long-anticipated titles and ambitious indie games. NPR staff and contributors list their favorites.

Stromae performing on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

What's making us happy: A guide to your weekend listening.

5:00pm December 16, 2022

Each week, the guests and hosts on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour share what's bringing them joy. This week: Making Shazam playlists, Chris Klimek's annual mixtape, NPR Best Music of 2022 and more.

Arts

Take the plunge: Avatar's underwater scenes are immersive and extraordinary

2:05pm December 16, 2022

by Justin Chang

Avatar: The Way of Water may not be one of the best movies of the year, but it is one of the best movie-going experiences of the year. (Think: Jacques Cousteau on shrooms.)

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Books
Arts

What a classic '50s Western can teach us about the Hollywood Blacklist

2:04pm December 16, 2022

by Terry Gross

Author Glenn Frankel says the 1952 film High Noon was inspired by the toxic political climate of the time. Originally broadcast Feb. 21, 2017.

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Sources say the House panel investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol is set to release its report on Dec. 21 — and publishers are ready to pounce.

Books
Arts

Will you read the Jan. 6 report cover-to-cover? These publishers hope so.

12:44pm December 16, 2022

by Andrew Limbong

The House panel investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol is expected to drop their report on Dec. 21. It's a public document, but book publishers are poised to get the report into your hands.

Bad Bunny, pictured performing on stage in Philadelphia in September, finished his international tour in Mexico City last weekend — but many fans were denied entry after being told their tickets were illegitimate.

After a Ticketmaster snafu, Mexico's president asks Bad Bunny to hold a free concert

11:11am December 16, 2022

by Rachel Treisman

After hundreds of ticket holders were denied entry to Bad Bunny's shows in Mexico City last weekend, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is asking the star to put on another concert for free.

Bruce Pascal is an avid Hot Wheels collector who boasts a collection of more than 4,000 cars.

Arts

Why Hot Wheels are one of the most inflation-proof toys in American history

11:08am December 16, 2022

by Fernando Alfonso III

Inflation, the curse of our pocketbooks and the Federal Reserve, has hit almost every good in the U.S. But the price of a beloved toy has managed to hover around $1 — for more than 50 years.