NPR Arts & Culture

From Seinfeld, A Second Season Of 'Coffee' Talk
The stand-up is back with another run of his Webby-winning online series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. He tells NPR's Linda Wertheimer the project still feels like a personal outing with friends from the business.
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How To Introduce Kids To Tough Topics? Art And TV Can Help
When parents aren't sure how to approach a difficult subject, they sometimes turn to other media — and Linda Ellerbee is happy to lend a hand. She's been the host of Nickelodeon's NickNews for 22 years, and her one rule of thumb is don't dumb it down.
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'This Is The End': The Apocalypse Is One Hot Party
Seth Rogen's new end-of-the-world comedy turns out to be as funny as anyone could have hoped — and maybe more clever than you might have expected. (Recommended)
'20 Feet From' The Spotlight, There's Singing Worthy Of One
A new documentary directed by Morgan Neville profiles backup singers whose voices you know but whose names you probably don't: Lisa Fischer, Darlene Love, Judith Hill and Merry Clayton.
Fame Studios And The Road To Nashville Songwriting Glory
One of America's great songwriters, Dan Penn has written dozens of soul classics, often with keyboardist Spooner Oldham. For a while, the two were on the staff of Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Ala. Ace Records has just released an entire CD of Penn's demos.
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British Designer Ozwald Boateng's Dream To Dress Africa
Boateng became the first black designer on London's prestigious Savile Row. Since then, he's made quite the name for himself; his tailored suits cost as much as $40,000. Host Michel Martin speaks with Ozwald about his career, style and Ghanaian heritage.
Designer Ozwald Boateng On Being The 'Statesman of Cool'
Designer Ozwald Boateng became the first black designer on London's prestigious Savile Row. Since then, he's made quite the name for himself; his tailored suits cost as much as 40 grand. Host Michel Martin speaks with Ozwald about his career, style and Ghanaian heritage.
MTV Promises To Be About Music For An Entire Half Of A Day
On July 4th, MTV will be about music for 12 entire hours. Try to contain your shock.
Book News: Illinois School Board Restores 'Perks Of Being A Wallflower'
Also: A comic book for the blind; Salvador Dali's great, trippy Alice in Wonderland illustrations.
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Frontier Preachers Thump More Than Bibles In 'Blood Of Heaven'
Backwoods preachers spout Bible verses while spreading mayhem and revolution in Kent Wascom's The Blood of Heaven. The novel is set in the early 1800s, when western Florida was a battleground where Americans fought Spanish and French imperialists for control.
With Space-Bound Hubbies, 'Astrowives' Became 'First Reality Stars'
On April 9,1959, the U.S. introduced its first astronauts, and then launched their wives into the spotlight. In The Astronaut Wives Club, Lily Koppel looks at how seven women coped with the attention and anxiety that came with being married to the space race.
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With Space-Bound Hubbies, 'Astrowives' Became 'First Reality Stars'
On April 9,1959, the U.S. introduced its first astronauts, and then launched their wives into the spotlight. In The Astronaut Wives Club, Lily Koppel looks at how seven women coped with the attention and the anxiety that came with being married to the space race.
A Guide to Grilling Beyond 'Dude Food'
As Father's Day approaches, you can remind Dad that there's more to Father's Day grilling than just cheeseburgers.
What Kids Are Reading, In School And Out
Some experts are concerned that both in-school assignments and the books kids read for pleasure may not be challenging them enough.
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Aristotle's Daughter Comes Of Age In 'The Sweet Girl'
Canadian writer Annabel Lyon has a special gift when it comes to time travel. Her new novel The Sweet Girl carries us back to ancient Greece, where a teenage girl learns from her philosopher father and fights for her safety in a dangerous world. Reviewer Alan Cheuse says the novel is a triumph.
Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg: Friends Till 'The End'
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg met as adolescents on the Vancouver bar mitzvah circuit — and soon after began writing the script for what would become the movie Superbad. Their new project is This Is the End, a disaster-movie spoof in which the Rapture hits home in Hollywood.
Theater Of The Absurd: Have Audiences Lost Their Manners?
Margot Adler looks at Broadway audiences and whether they've gotten more boorish.
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Book News: Sales Of Orwell's '1984' Spike After NSA Revelations
Also: Charlotte Bronte's French homework fetches a staggering sum; McArthur & Company is closing its doors.
'Taipei' Is Lifelike — But That's Not Necessarily A Compliment
Literary enfant terrible Tao Lin's latest novel, Taipei, follows protagonist Paul — who closely resembles Lin himself — on his drugged wanderings around New York and Taipei. Reviewer Annalisa Quinn says Lin "refuses, almost sadistically, to entertain the reader."
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School's Out: 5 Great Summer Reads For Teens
NPR Books is replete with readers of grown-up books, but editor Petra Mayer prefers a good YA novel any day. She picks five (well, really six) of her favorite summer YA reads, from first love in 1980s Omaha to far-future Brazil and beyond.
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