Arts

Books
Arts

Need A Little Valentine's Day Perspective? 3 Romances Do The Trick

5:49pm February 12, 2016

by Ericka Brooks

Reviewer Ericka Brooks loves romance novels, but she felt like there was something missing in her collection. So she went looking for books with characters from all different backgrounds.

A War is freighted with moral quandaries, impossible choices and terrible consequences.

Arts

Navigating A Minefield Of Moral Quandaries And Consequences In 'A War'

5:06pm February 12, 2016

by Bob Mondello

A War is a contender for the best foreign film Oscar. It's about a soldier in Afghanistan placed in an impossible situation, and NPR film critic Bob Mondello says it brings the big questions home.

Dr. Lucy Kalanithi and Dr. Paul Kalanithi with their daughter, Elizabeth Acadia.

Books
Arts

Inside A Doctor's Mind At The End Of His Life

3:33pm February 12, 2016

by NPR Staff

Dr. Paul Kalanithi was finishing his residency in neurosurgery when he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. His memoir deals with the struggle and the joy of life as death drew near.

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Bottles for sale at Passage de la Fleur, a natural wine shop in Brooklyn, N.Y. For some, natural wines must be completely unadulterated — without the use of sugar, clarifiers or other additives common in modern winemaking. Other natural winemakers, howe

Arts

What The Heck Is Natural Wine? Here's A Taste

3:13pm February 12, 2016

by Andrea Shea

Natural wines can be off-putting at first: perhaps darker than usual, a little fizzy or cloudy. Some find them charming, others unsophisticated. Here's a guide to this trending, quirky style of wine.

Arts
Economy

Money May Not Buy You Love, But It Sure Helps

1:19pm February 12, 2016

by Zhai Yun Tan

Someone has to pay for the cocktails on the first date, dinners in that classy restaurant, the wedding by the beach — and that messy divorce. Here are some fun facts on the economics of romance.

Arts

'Better Call Saul' Breathes New Life Into 'Breaking Bad' Characters

1:17pm February 12, 2016

The show's co-creator says it was a writers' room joke that if something didn't fit on Breaking Bad, it would go on the Saul Goodman show (now Better Call Saul). Originally broadcast March 9, 2015.

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Arts

Bob Odenkirk Mixes Laughter And Law In 'Breaking Bad' And 'Better Call Saul'

1:17pm February 12, 2016

The actor's fast-talking, sleazeball character Saul Goodman has been known to bend the law — and to break it. The second season of Better Call Saul begins Feb. 15. Originally broadcast Aug. 6, 2013.

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Singer-songwriter Sam Smith, winner of Record of the Year and Song of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album and Best New Artist, poses in the press room during the Grammy Awards in 2015.

Arts

Pop Culture Happy Hour: The Awards Show Problem And Product Placement

10:10am February 12, 2016

by Linda Holmes

On this week's show, we break down what entertainment industry awards are for (if anything) and consider the highs and lows of product placement.

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The power of the verses by 14th century Persian poet Hafez draws tourists to his tomb in Shiraz.

In Iran, A Poet's 700-Year-Old Verses Still Set Hearts Aflame

9:14am February 12, 2016

by Steve Inskeep

The 14th century Persian poet Hafez remains venerated in Iran, even though he wrote of wine, romance and other topics not necessarily welcome in today's Islamic Republic.

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It's sort of a relief to report that Ryan Reynolds is finally coming into his own, superhero-wise, in Deadpool.

Arts

'Deadpool' Is a Potty-Mouthed Splatterfest. A Really Funny One

5:57am February 12, 2016

by Bob Mondello

NPR film critic Bob Mondello says Deadpool goes in deep on its R rating — and has plenty of fun doing it.

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