Arts
The Arts
‘The Beekeeper Of Aleppo’ Wins 2020 Aspen Words Literary Prize
Christy Lefteri’s novel of the Syrian refugee crisis won the third annual award, which doles out $35,000 for fiction that illuminates a pressing social issue.
‘Wait Wait’: We Call To Check In On Tom Hanks (And Ask Him To Play Not My Job)
Hanks recently recovered from the coronavirus, so we called to check in on him. While he was on the line, we asked the man who played Mr. Rogers to answer three questions about very bad neighbors.
Curb Your Boredom With NWPB Passport’s April Lineup
APRIL LINEUP: Need new shows to watch while social distancing? Stream a variety of new or popular shows on NWPB Passport and learn what’s in the spotlight for April 2020.
Stephen King Is Sorry You Feel Like You’re Stuck In A Stephen King Novel
The horror writer says he understands why fans have said the COVID-19 pandemic feels like living inside one of his novels. King says he doesn’t feel panic or terror, but rather, a “gnawing anxiety.”
‘Dear Stranger’: Connecting People 1 Letter At A Time
As the coronavirus forces people to keep their distance, a humanities program in Oregon brings residents together in an old-fashioned way.
BOOK REVIEW: In ‘How Much Of These Hills Is Gold,’ This Land Is Not Your Land
C Pam Zhang’s debut novel follows a brother and sister, children of Chinese laborers, as the search the dusty hills of Gold Rush-era California for a place to bury their father’s body.
Fred And Ginger Cheered Us Up During The Depression. Might They Do It Again?
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers gave Americans a much-needed on-screen escape in the 1930s. You can find their dance numbers online, but critic Bob Mondello recommends you watch their films in full.
Julia Alvarez: Literature Tells Us ‘We Can Make It Through’
Julia Alvarez returns to adult fiction with Afterlife, which she calls her first novel as an “elder.” It’s about a newly retired woman whose comfortable life is upended when her husband dies.
A Broadway Star And #SunshineSongs Bring Canceled High School Musical Theater To Small Screens
High school musicals are canceled around the country over coronavirus concerns. Broadway star Laura Benanti asked disappointed high school singers for the next best thing: performance videos.
Feisty. Ambitious. Lucky. Female Writers On The Words That Undermine Women
Pretty Bitches, a new essay collection edited by Lizzie Skurnick, explores how words that sound complimentary can actually be loaded with sexism. “These words are code,” Skurnick says.
Staying Inside A Lot? Some Food Thoughts
If you’re hunkered down, doing your part to flatten the curve…maybe food is on your mind. You may be feeding your family – or cooking to deal with cabin fever. Here are some suggestions from NWPB staff.
‘Ordinary People’ Books Can Help In This Extraordinary Time
Our kids’ books columnist Juanita Giles reports that, stuck at home with her family, she’s turned to a series by Brad Meltzer and Christopher Eliopoulos, for stories about relatable heroes.
