Arts & Life

Books
Arts

'Target In The Night' Scores A Solid Hit

12:30pm November 17, 2015

by Michael Schaub

Ricardo Piglia's new novel is a brainy, postmodern, sometimes funny take on the classic detective novel. Critic Michael Schaub says it has echoes of DeLillo and Pynchon, but is wholly original.

Books
Arts

Dear Mary-Louise Parker, You've Written A Great Book

6:37pm November 16, 2015

by Jean Zimmerman

The actor's new memoir is disguised as a collection of letters to the men in her life. Critic Jean Zimmerman praises Parker's willingness to show vulnerability and her excellent, stylish writing.

Slate's "Dear Prudence" has a new advice giver.

'Dear Prudence' Finally Gets Advice In Return: A New 'Prudie' Steps In

10:39pm November 15, 2015

by NPR Staff

Mallory Ortberg of The Toast will fill almost decade-old shoes for Slate's popular advice column, but not without getting advice first. Before she pays it forward, we seek her words on a timely issue.

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Miller says it took her a little while to life as a standup. "I like illusion! I like changing costumes," she says -- but she relishes the role now.

Arts

The Queen Of Swing Takes Old Age In Stride

10:37pm November 15, 2015

by Renata Sago

At 95, Norma Miller is the last living member of Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, the pioneering group that helped popularize swing dancing. These days, though, she's swapped dance floors for a standup's mic.

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A man wears a shirt with the "Peace for Paris" symbol, near the French embassy in Berlin on Saturday, a day after the deadly attacks in Paris.

Circle Of Hope: How A Raw Reaction Became A Sign Of Solidarity

6:36pm November 14, 2015

by NPR Staff

When Jean Jullien learned of the Paris attacks, the French artist dashed off a pen-and-ink mash-up of the Eiffel Tower with a peace sign. That symbol has since become a worldwide icon of the tragedy.

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June Squibb poses for a portrait during the 19th Annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards on Jan. 16, 2014, in Santa Monica, Calif.

Arts

Not My Job: We Ask Actor June Squibb About Squids

1:21pm November 14, 2015

Squibb was a professional actor for 60 years before landing her first Oscar nomination — at the age of 84 — for her role in the movie Nebraska. Her latest film is Love the Coopers.

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Dancer and choreographer Twyla Tharp celebrates her 50th year in professional dance by taking two new shows on the road: Preludes and Fugues and Yowzie.

Arts

If Twyla Tharp Is Dracula, Dance Is Her Lifeblood

1:02pm November 14, 2015

by NPR Staff

Since her 20s, the dancer and choreographer has been rewriting the rules for what dance can be. Now she's on her 50th anniversary tour, premiering new works with longtime collaborators.

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Books
Arts

'This Old Man' Looks Back On A Full Life

8:26am November 14, 2015

by NPR Staff

Roger Angell's latest book is a collection of his writings from The New Yorker, centered on "This Old Man," his memorable essay about the pains and pleasures of living into your 90s.

James White (Christopher Abbott) is a feckless New York City slacker doing the best he can to care for his mother, Gail (Cynthia Nixon).

Arts

Arrested Development Meets Adulthood In 'James White'

11:28pm November 13, 2015

by Bob Mondello

James White is an indie drama about a slacker dealing with the death of one parent and the decline of another. NPR film critic Bob Mondello says it's both intimate and intense.

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Tara Donovan's installation in the "Wonder" exhibit is made of hundreds of thousands of index cards.

Arts

This Art Exhibit Makes You 'Wonder' — And That's The Whole Point

6:05pm November 13, 2015

by Elizabeth Blair

Nine major contemporary artists have created massive, otherworldly installations to mark the reopening of the Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C.

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