Arts

The Dark Flood Rises by Margaret Drabble

Books
Arts

Funny, Profane 'Dark Flood' Doesn't Go Gently

12:14pm February 15, 2017

by Michael Schaub

Margaret Drabble's new novel follows a 70-something woman as she travels around England for her job — working with old age homes — and grumbling about how sad, funny and genuinely absurd aging is.

A virtual reality installation allows visitors to experience a doll's perspective as she's poked and prodded by a lab assistant. Read the full story at KQED.

Don't Think Your Bias Can Boss You Around? David Byrne Says Think Again

11:37am February 15, 2017

by Rachael Myrow

The musician and multimedia artist has co-created an immersive experience designed to make people aware of their implicit biases. It's called "The Institute Presents: Neurosociety."

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Adele performs onstage during the Grammy Awards on February 12, 2017.

The First #BoycottAdele Wasn't Over A Grammy, But On How To Make Tea

8:42pm February 14, 2017

by Nina Martyris

Calls for a boycott are not new for Adele. And now, embroiled in the politics of both left and right, she will likely think longingly back to her first, uncomplicated boycott — about her tea-making.

Rachel and Nick smooch in a highly realistic, tooooootally normal romantic situation on The Bachelor. Spoiler alert: He isn't going to pick her, because she's the next Bachelorette.

Arts

The Purely Accidental Lessons Of The First Black 'Bachelorette'

4:55pm February 14, 2017

by Linda Holmes

Television shows don't have to be good or smart to tell you something about the culture that spawns them, and you might be surprised how much The Bachelor has to say about power.

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James Baldwin poses at his home in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France in 1979.

Arts

Director Raoul Peck: James Baldwin Was 'Speaking Directly To Me'

3:08pm February 14, 2017

Baldwin "gave me very early on the instruments I needed to ... deconstruct the world around me," Peck says. His documentary, I Am Not Your Negro, chronicles the life of the civil rights era writer.

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Gifting chocolates to your sweetheart on Valentine's Day wasn't always part of the holiday.

Arts

How Chocolate Became A Sweet (But Not So Innocent) Consort To Valentine's Day

12:56pm February 14, 2017

by Jeff Koehler

From the time of the Aztecs, chocolate has been seen as an aphrodisiac. (Casanova certainly thought so.) But it took many centuries for it to become the taste of the love holiday.

Books
Arts

'Insomniac City' Is A Valentine To New York, Oliver Sacks And Life Itself

10:00am February 14, 2017

by Heller McAlpin

Bill Hayes was Sacks' partner during the renowned author and neurologist's last years, and Insomniac City is a charming, intimate portrait of their relationship, full of sweet, unguarded moments.

Renae Quinn's favorite valentine ever was a very punny one from her late husband on the Valentine's Day before they were married.

Arts

Drawn From The Heart: Your Most Memorable Valentine's Day Cards

9:56am February 14, 2017

No snark or anti-commercialism rantings here, just a dose of simple sweetness. Readers share stories and photos — and an NPR artist re-creates a couple of valentines that live on only in memories.

Yes, it is Valentine's Day â but we like romance novels all year 'round.

Books
Arts

3 Romances To Remind You That Love Is All Around — All Year Long

7:00am February 14, 2017

by Maya Rodale

Sure, it's Valentine's Day — the day we set aside for flowers, chocolates, wine and declarations of love. But love is more than one day, so here are three romances you can enjoy any time of year.

William Faulkner's Home Illustrates His Impact On The South

4:36pm February 13, 2017

by Melissa Block

As Melissa Block's "Our Land" road trip takes her to Mississippi, she visits William Faulkner's home: Rowan Oak, in Oxford, Miss. With curator William Griffith, they talk about Faulkner's running theme of the South in conflict with itself.