50 Wonderful Things From 2015
Every year at this time, we look back on just some — just some! — of the stuff that was delightful in the past 12 months.
Arts & Life
With 'Sophia,' A Forgotten Suffragette Is Back In The Headlines
We get hundreds of books in the mail every week, and some always fall through the cracks. NPR's Petra Mayer singles out a biography of a Sikh princess turned suffragette for a second look.
'Shame And Wonder' Is Light On Shame, Heavy On Wonder
David Searcy's essay collection finds the marvelous in everything from classic cars to Scrooge McDuck. Though it lacks some leavening humor, it's a lovely argument for approaching the world with awe.
How Clementine Churchill Wielded Influence As Winston's Wife
Biographer Sonia Purnell says Clementine once remarked that she "would have loved to have been a statesman in her own right if only she had been born with trousers rather than petticoats."
From NPR's International Desk: A Few Of Our Favorite Reads
From ancient China to its modern rise, from the searing feuds of the Middle East to the cultural contradictions of Rio, our international staff offers up some of the best books of 2015. Enjoy.
'Anomalisa' Is A Charlie Kaufman Movie Featuring Puppets. Yes, It's Weird
NPR film critic Bob Mondello reviews Anomalisa, the latest weirdness from the writer of Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Despite 'Star Wars' Success, Disney Stock Drops
NPR's Robert Siegel talks with Ben Fritz of the Wall Street Journal about Disney stock dropping, despite enormous Star Wars success.
Seeing Double: Bob Mondello Picks 2015's Best Movies, 2 At A Time
When NPR's movie critic sat down to write this year's best-of list, he kept seeing matched sets: two cinematic head trips, two brutal historical epics and even two riveting mortgage crisis flicks.
As TV Streaming Rises, So Does Internet Piracy
TV viewers are streaming their favorite shows more than ever. They are also stealing them more than ever. Why is this happening? NPR's Audie Cornish talks to Paul Tassi who covers technology and the Internet for Forbes to find out.
At 81, Feminist Gloria Steinem Finds Herself Free Of The 'Demands Of Gender'
As she approached 60, the co-founder of Ms. magazine says, she entered a new phase in life, one in which "you can do what you want." Originally broadcast Oct. 26, 2015.