Arts News

'Dragon Tattoo' Has Designs On U.S. Audiences
The movie version of Steig Larsson's best-selling thriller has already broken box-office records in Scandinavia. Now it's headed for the U.S., where the sexy, violent novel was a No. 1 best-seller. Will fans be as willing to squint at subtitles as they were to read a translated book?
Authors Debate The Merits Of Parenting Advice
Ada Calhoun, author of Instinctive Parenting, makes the case that children will turn out fine if parents simply trust their gut. But Po Bronson, co-author of NurtureShock, begs to differ — he says instincts may tell parents when something needs to be done, but not how to do it. He maintains experts are still relevant for that.
Elmore Leonard, At Home In Detroit
The crime writer has more than 40 books to his name and dozens of films made from that source material. Leonard gives NPR's Noah Adams a tour of his hometown, with stops at some of the places that taught the writer about the language of crime, and at his writing desk at home.
The 'Great American School System' Flunks Out
Diane Ravitch's Death and Life of the Great American School System is a scathing report card of U.S. education. The former assistant secretary of education hands down a withering critique of the nation's schooling efforts — from charter schools, to No Child Left Behind, to Teach for America.
A 'Justified' Outing For A Loose-Cannon Lawman
Starting tonight on the FX cable network, Deadwood star Timothy Olyphant is back playing another man with a badge — this time in Justified, a modern-day Western based on stories by Elmore Leonard. TV critic David Bianculli reviews the new series for Fresh Air.
How A Few Made Millions Betting Against The Market
Michael Lewis' new book The Big Short chronicles the 2008 financial collapse through the investors who realized what was happening to the U.S. economy while it was happening — and then made a fortune by betting against the markets.
What We're Reading, March 16 - 22
Linda Wertheimer hails a Dickensian novel of London in the boom days of 2007, before the banking bust. An encore by child detective Flavia de Luce (Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie) is both creepy and laugh-out-loud funny. And So Much for That finds the hilarity in a relentless tale of runaway health care costs.
Nigella's St. Patrick's Baking Tip: Just Add Guinness
There's so much more to St. Patrick's Day food than Irish soda bread and corned beef and cabbage. Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson shares some delectable recipes for a holiday feast you'll want to raise a glass to.
The Outsiders Who Foresaw The Subprime Crisis
Michael Lewis, who wrote the best-seller Liar's Poker, is back with a new book examining those who profited from shorting subprime mortgages. In The Big Short, Lewis profiles extreme characters — outsiders — who are the sane people in an insane world.
'Top Secret': The Power And Struggle Of The Press
The New York Theatre Workshop's production of Top Secret: The Battle for the Pentagon Papers examines the gray area between the rights of the press to publish and those of the government to protect its secrets.
Will The National Broadband Plan Come Up Short?
The Federal Communications Commission says the plan, set to be unveiled Tuesday, will help make Internet access faster, cheaper and more pervasive. But some critics are already calling it a missed opportunity.
'Mission: Impossible' Star Peter Graves Dies In L.A.
The actor was best known for his portrayal of Jim Phelps, leader of a gang of special agents who battled evil conspirators in the long-running television series. He also masterfully lampooned his straight-arrow image as bumbling airline pilot Clarence Oveur in the 1980 disaster spoof Airplane!. He was 83.
'Funemployment' And More Slang For A Recession
Not much good has come out of the recession from which we seem to be slowly emerging. But at least it's left us with some new lingo, like "staycation." The Christian Science Monitor has compiled a list of its favorites, and guest host Audie Cornish explains a few of them.
Can Working Moms 'Have It All'? Ha!
In the late '70s and early '80s, Enjoli perfume commercials extolled the era's ideal Superwoman — a perfectly coiffed working mom who could "bring home the bacon" and still be sexy for her man. Three decades later, that ideal remains elusive for millions of women — including reporter Jennifer Ludden.
How Do You Make A Yugo Cool? Turn It Into A Book
The tiny, no-frills automobile imported from communist Yugoslavia during the 1980s is known to most Americans as the butt of many car jokes. Author Jason Vuic's book The Yugo: The Rise and Fall of the Worst Car in History reveals why it's the most famous lemon in automotive history.