Commentary

The cast of Gilligan's Island (clockwise from top left): Jim Backus, Natalie Schafer, Tina Louise, Alan Hale Jr., Dawn Wells, Bob Denver, Russell Johnson

Arts

Gilligan's Island At 50: A Goofy Show From A Time Of TV Innocence

6:23pm September 26, 2014

by Eric Deggans

As classic sitcom Gilligan's Island celebrates its 50th birthday, NPR TV critic Eric Deggans says it is an example of a show much loved by fans despite widely acknowledged mediocrity.

A Man Who Knew The Value Of The Human Voice

11:16am September 20, 2014

by Scott Simon

David Candow, known around NPR as "The Host Whisperer," has died. He was a great teacher, not only instructing us about the craft of radio news but reminding why the craft is important.

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Books

The Kaypro II: An Early Computer With A Writer's Heart

6:45pm September 16, 2014

by Andrei Codrescu

Commentator Andrei Codrescu remembers the first word processor he had — the Kaypro II in the 1980s. Its inventor, Andrew Kay, died Aug. 28, at the age of 95.

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Wade Goodwyn's dogs, Miles and Rosie, greeted James Lee Woodard eagerly.

After Exoneration, Small Moments Take On New Meaning

12:47pm September 13, 2014

by Wade Goodwyn

Two more men sentenced to die have been exonerated. Another wronged man, James Lee Woodard, visited NPR's Wade Goodwyn years ago. On his first day out of prison, he bonded with Goodwyn's dogs.

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Week In Politics: Obama's ISIS Speech, Rand Paul

6:32pm September 12, 2014

Regular political commentators, E.J. Dionne of The Washington Post and David Brooks of The New York Times discuss President Obama's Islamic state speech, Rand Paul and the current political races across the country, with a trend of the public swaying more towards the Republicans.

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The Video, The Tabloid Site And The NFL's Unwanted Reckoning

2:33pm September 10, 2014

by David Folkenflik

The assault by former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice on his then-fiancee was public knowledge. But new video released by TMZ on Monday defined the story, says NPR's David Folkenflik.

On packed flights, space is at a premium and tempers sometimes flare.

Cruising Attitude: Recliner Rebellion Building In The Sky

4:29pm September 06, 2014

by Scott Simon

With the airlines packing more people into planes, "recliner rage" is on the rise. Is it a problem of entitled passengers, or just too many of us squeezed into small spaces?

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SCOTUS On Cellphones And The Privacy Of Poetry

4:26pm September 03, 2014

by Craig Morgan Teicher

To put a literary spin on the Supreme Court's recent decision to limit warrantless cellphone searches, author Craig Morgan Teicher turns to A.R. Ammons' book of poetry, Tape for the Turn of the Year.

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World News

Why The British Allowed The Rotherham Abuse To Fester

12:33pm August 30, 2014

The Guardian's Randeep Ramesh tells NPR's Scott Simon about the social and societal forces at work in British culture which might have contributed to the cover-up of the Rotherham child abuse case.

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Books
Arts

As Summer Winds Down, Wistful Dreams Of A 'Lost Estate'

8:23pm August 22, 2014

by Alexander Aciman

The scent of fresh pencils is in the air, and homework assignments are around the corner. In honor of back-to-school season, author Alexander Aciman recommends The Lost Estate by Henri Alain-Fournier.

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