Books

Ginger Rogers is a plucky hotel switchboard operator who helps foil a spy ring in Ginger Rogers And The Riddle Of The Scarlet Cloak.

Books
Arts

Ginger Rogers And The Case Of The Authorized Editions

11:12am December 01, 2016

by Genevieve Valentine

Before modern fan fiction, there were the Whitman Authorized Editions — a series of mystery novels from the 1940s and 50s that "starred" real movie stars, like Ginger Rogers and Gene Tierney.

Peter and Ezra, / you made a great team. / Together you brought a snowstorm / of your dreams.

Books
Arts

'A Poem For Peter' Recalls One Unforgettable 'Snowy Day'

5:09am December 01, 2016

by Lynn Neary

In 1962, Peter — an African-American boy exploring his neighborhood after a snowstorm — broke the color barrier in mainstream children's publishing. A new book pays tribute to author Ezra Jack Keats.

Gianfranco Rosi's documentary, Fire at Sea, is set on the tiny Sicilian island of Lampedusa, where tens of thousands of migrants come ashore each year.

2 New Works Confront The Refugee Crisis With Empathy And Humanity

2:24pm November 30, 2016

by John Powers

Critic John Powers discusses the Italian documentary, Fire at Sea, and the novel, These Are the Names. The works take very different — but nonetheless poignant — approaches to the refugee situation.

Books
Arts

In 'ODY-C,' A Greek Hero Worthy Of Women

7:00am November 30, 2016

by Annalisa Quinn

Matt Fraction and Christian Ward's splendidly trippy, genderbent retelling of the Odyssey sets the story in space, as warlike Odyssia, "witchjack and wanderer" winds her way home to far Ithicaa.

Cleve Jones speaks outside the Supreme Court in June 2013.

LGBTQ Activist Cleve Jones: 'I'm Well Aware How Fragile Life Is'

3:14pm November 29, 2016

Jones became an activist after Harvey Milk's assassination, and he lost countless friends to the AIDS epidemic. He says, "There are some days when it is so painful that I really can barely function."

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Searching for John Hughes by Jason Diamond (Raquel Zaldivar/NPR)

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Arts

'Searching For John Hughes,' And Finding Yourself

9:17am November 29, 2016

by Drew Toal

Jason Diamond tried to write a biography of John Hughes, director of classic '80s teen movies, but along the way, the story became more about his search for Hughes than the elusive filmmaker himself.

Carrie Fisher reprised her role of Princess Leia in the 2015 film Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Books
Arts

Carrie Fisher Opens Up About 'Star Wars,' The Gold Bikini And Her On-Set Affair

5:00pm November 28, 2016

In her new memoir, The Princess Diarist, Fisher looks back on playing Princess Leia when she was 19 and reflects on her romantic involvement with her older, married co-star, Harrison Ford.

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'Mayor Of Mogadishu': Symbol Of Hope Or Divisive Figure?

12:13pm November 28, 2016

Steve Inskeep talks to the BBC's Andrew Harding about his book: The Mayor of Mogadishu. It's a look at Somalia's modern history through the life story of one of its most controversial politicians.

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Get To Know A Cuba Without Castro: Recommended Books, Movies And Music

4:06pm November 27, 2016

by NPR Staff

With the death of longtime dictator Fidel Castro, interest in the island nation has again spiked among Americans. For those looking to learn more about the country, expert Tom Miller has some picks.

Books
Arts

Julia Baird Paints A Stronger, More Likable 'Victoria The Queen'

8:39am November 27, 2016

NPR's Linda Wertheimer talks to Julia Baird about her new book "Victoria the Queen." Baird says that contrary to how she is usually remembered, Queen Victoria was a lively and dedicated ruler.